09/06/2025

MONDAY | JUNE 9, 2025

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Govt collecting phone data to boost network coverage

E-invoice implementation postponed GEORGE TOWN: The government has postponed the implementation of the e-invoice system after weighing the concerns of business owners, particularly the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), said Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying. She said with the postponement, the government hopes companies will have more time to adapt to the system developed by the Inland Revenue Board. On June 5, the board said in a statement that taxpayers with income or annual sales below RM500,000 would be exempted from the e invoice system for now. It was postponed to Jan 1, 2026 for those earning between RM1 million and RM5 million, while those with income up to RM1 million will begin on July 1, 2026. “What we initially planned (was to implement the system) effective July 1 (2025) for companies with annual sales of RM500,000 and above. However, we understand their concerns, especially the MSMEs, and have revised it into three additional phases. “The Madani government has taken note of the concerns of our business community,” she told reporters after launching the smart toilets at the public market at Lebuh Cecil yesterday. Lim also said the third phase of the system, beginning next month, will involve taxpayers with income or annual sales exceeding RM5 million up to RM25 million. On the stamping of employment contracts between employers and employees starting next year, she said it was decided that employment contracts before January this year will be exempted, but contracts starting January 2026 will be required to pay stamp duty. – Bernama Malaysian pilgrim dies of heart attack MECCA: Another Malaysian haj pilgrim has passed away in the Holy Land after completing the wukuf ritual in Arafah, bringing the total to nine. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar said Syed Baharom Syed Hussin, 72, died at Mina Al Wadee Hospital at 4.53am local time from a heart attack. He said Syed Baharom, who was from Alor Setar, Kedah, had earlier received treatment at one of the tents in Mina before he was transferred to the hospital, Bernama reported. “Tabung Haji (TH) has contacted the pilgrim’s family and will manage all matters related to the funeral arrangements and the welfare of the deceased,” he said on Saturday. On behalf of TH top management, Mohd Na’im extended condolences to the deceased family, praying that his soul be blessed and his intentions in fulfilling the fifth pillar of Islam be accepted. Mohd Na’im said TH would continue to monitor the health of all Malaysian pilgrims throughout their stay in the Holy Land and advised pilgrims not to overexert themselves when performing Haj rituals.

“In both scenarios, no individual subscriber can be identified through the data collected,” MCMC said in a statement. Meanwhile, Fahmi, who is also Lembah Pantai MP and a PKR central committee member, expressed hope that other constituencies would emulate the collaboration between PKR and Umno in Lembah Pantai to foster mutual understanding and address issues facing the Madani government. “Moving forward, parties within the unity government, particularly in Lembah Pantai, will aim to organise joint activities to build rapport, strengthen ties and address shared concerns. “It is a catalyst for our colleagues in other constituencies to recognise the strength of our unity government in tackling challenges,” he added.

Another user, @dk_derick72 described it as a “slippery slope”. He said data privacy and protection laws must take precedence over unnecessary or unfounded government requests. On Friday, MCMC responded to the concerns. It clarifed that the data collected would be used strictly for generating official statistics to support evidence-based policymaking in two key areas, information and communications technology (ICT) and tourism. “The data requested is anonymised and contains no personally identifiable information. “The operators may either process the data within their own secure environment and submit only the anonymised, aggregated output to MCMC, or if lacking in-house capabilities, submit the anonymised data directly to MCMC for processing.

o Only anonymised, non-personal information to be used to identify service gaps and support evidence-based policymaking, says minister

Ű BY IKHWAN ZULKAFLEE newsdesk@thesundaily.com

data will be provided.” Fahmi said this during the Korban Perdana Perpaduan Umno Lembah Pantai 2025 event, where 15 cattle were slaughtered at Kampung Pasir. The government initiative has sparked uproar among the public and many voiced their dissatisfaction and concerns over privacy on social media platforms. “Most of my info on govt webs and apps got leaked. How are we to trust them with more of our data?” wrote user @aiden_crayden.

PETALING JAYA: The government is harnessing mobile phone data from network operators to help the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) strengthen mobile network infrastructure and close connectivity gaps, Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said yesterday. The data will be used to drive evidence-based policies, offering granular insights into service quality and user density across districts. “It’s a Cabinet-backed move, and the Communications Ministry is fully on board. “The data contains no personal details, just trends. It helps us understand where services are lagging and where upgrades are needed,” Fahmi said at a press conference yesterday. Fahmi said the initiative will sharpen decision-making and support long-term digital development. He was addressing public concerns over potential privacy risks following reports of the government’s move. Fahmi reiterated that the data shared by telecos with government agencies will not contain any personally identifiable information, contrary to public fears. “This is a joint decision by telcos and MCMC, involving agencies such as DOSM, and developed through a series of workshops held since 2023. PETALING JAYA: Three leading telecommunications companies have stepped forward to reassure the public about the safety and privacy of user data. U Mobile, CelcomDigi and Telekom Malaysia (TM) have emphasised that safeguarding user privacy remains their highest priority throughout the data collection process. The joint reassurance aims to address public concerns about potential data breaches and the misuse of personal information. In a statement, U Mobile reiterated its commitment to protecting customer data and privacy, adding that the company confirmed that strict policies and procedures are in place to ensure

“Discussions have been ongoing for some time without issues. I’ve been informed that telcos will not share any data containing users’ personal details. Only anonymised Telcos reaffirm privacy safeguards amid concerns

EMBRACING TRADITION ... Fahmi interacts with volunteers involved in the Korban Perdana Perpaduan Umno Lembah Pantai event, at which 15 cattle were slaughtered. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN

any shared data is anonymised, aggregated and fully compliant with data protection laws and regulations. “We understand the objectives of the initiative and remain committed to collaborating with MCMC, while upholding the highest standards in customer data governance. “U Mobile has established clear policies and procedures to guarantee that any data shared is fully anonymised, aggregated and handled in accordance with applicable data protection laws and regulations.” U Mobile also stressed that no personally identifiable information will be disclosed or processed at any stage. Meanwhile, CelcomDigi, in a

statement, said it is committed to upholding the highest standards in ensuring customer data remains protected. “We have put in place data governance policies and processes built on strict adherence to the Communications and Multimedia Act, the Personal Data Protection Act and all applicable regulations. “We have been in close discussions both directly with the commission and as part of wider industry deliberations for strong governance in the analysis of customers’ personal data. We will also continue to ensure adequate processes and controls remain in place. “When required, CelcomDigi will process requested data within our

own secure environments and provide a limited sample on relevant fields comprising anonymised and aggregated output to the commission.” TM also clarified that the phone data submitted to MCMC is fully anonymised and does not contain any personally identifiable information. Data submission is carried out under strict governance and security protocols, with full compliance to applicable company policies as well as national laws and regulatory requirements, it said in a statement. “TM remains fully committed to safeguarding the safety and privacy of customer data with responsibility and integrity.”