27/05/2026

WEDNESDAY | MAY 27, 2026

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Fomca opposes ID uploads to foreign platforms

PETALING JAYA: The Immigration Department has postponed the planned June 1 launch of the redesigned Malaysian passport, announcing the delay less than a week before the new document was due to enter circulation, with no new rollout date mentioned. In a statement yesterday, Immigration director-general Datuk Zakaria Shaaban said the move was aimed at safeguarding service quality and ensuring smooth transactions at Immigration counters. No specific technical or administrative reason was given for the postponement, although he confirmed a new implementation date would be announced through the department’s official channels in due course. “The move was taken to ensure smooth service delivery and to ensure the public’s transaction experience remains at the best level,” he said. Passport holders need not be concerned in the meantime. Zakaria said renewals for the existing passports would continue as usual and all valid passports remain accepted for international travel until their expiry dates. The postponement comes only days after he announced on May 19 that the upgraded passport would be introduced from June 1, featuring 94 security elements, nearly double the 49 incorporated in the current version. The rollout was scheduled to begin at selected Immigration offices before being expanded nationwide in phases to ensure an orderly transition. The redesigned passport is part of a broader overhaul of national identity documents, which also includes a revamped MyKad. – by Faiz Ruzman Immigration postpones launch of redesigned passport HULU SELANGOR: A teenage girl believed to have lost her way while hiking at Bukit Changkat Asa here four days ago was found dead by rescuers yesterday. Selangor Fire and Rescue Department assistant operations director Ahmad Mukhlis Mukhtar said the body of Nur Izzati Humaira Azizul, 19, was discovered off the hiking trail by the search and rescue (SAR) team at about 11.59am. “The victim’s body was found about 500m from the last known location where she was seen and one kilometre from the incident control post. “It took the SAR team about 20 minutes to bring the body to the control post using a stretcher,” he told Bernama at the control post. Ahmad Mukhlis said the body was handed over to police before being taken to Kuala Kubu Bharu Hospital. Earlier, the SAR operation, which entered its fourth day yesterday, resumed at 8am involving various security agencies after it was suspended at 6.30pm on Monday. – Bernama Missing teen found dead off hiking trail

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minimum information required for verification, without exposing full identity documents to multiple entities,” he said. He pointed out that international experience has shown age-verification systems could easily become controversial when implemented without strong privacy safeguards. “Several countries have faced criticism after citizens raised concerns over surveillance, excessive data collection, cybersecurity vulnerabilities and the possibility of sensitive information being commercially exploited. “Malaysia must learn from these global concerns instead of rushing implementation without proper public consultation. Policies involving personal identity data require public trust, and trust cannot exist without transparency.” Saravanan said the government must first present a clear and transparent framework explaining how the system would function, who would manage the data, what legal protections exist, how independent oversight would be conducted and how consumers’ rights would be protected.

o Consumer group warns MyKad and passport verification risks exposing Malaysians to cyber threats

information. “MyKad data contains extremely sensitive details that could be abused if they fall into the wrong hands. Consumers are already facing increasing threats from scams, phishing syndicates, fake loans, mule account activities and identity fraud. “Requiring citizens to upload identity documents across multiple social media platforms may significantly increase those risks.” Saravanan added that Fomca also rejects any approach allowing international companies to become gatekeepers of Malaysians’ identities. “Verification of citizens’ identity should remain under strict national control and must be governed through secure local infrastructure that fully complies with Malaysian laws and national cybersecurity requirements. “Any digital verification mechanism must follow the principles of necessity, proportionality, transparency, accountability and data minimisation. Consumers should only provide the

Ű BY ANDREW SAGAYAM newsdesk@thesundaily.com

concerned that the system could open the door to large-scale exploitation of Malaysians’ identity data by private technology companies whose business models heavily depend on data collection and user profiling. Saravanan said consumers must not become products in a digital economy where personal identities are treated as commercial assets. “The issue goes far beyond age verification. This involves highly sensitive national identity information belonging to millions of Malaysians. “Any data breach, leak, hacking incident or misuse could expose consumers to identity theft, financial fraud, cybercrime, impersonation, scams and long-term privacy violations,” he said. He stressed that national identity

KUALA LUMPUR: The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) has strongly opposed any requirement for Malaysians to submit their MyKad, passport or other sensitive personal identification documents directly to international social media platforms, foreign technology companies or overseas based verification providers. Its chief executive officer Dr Saravanan Thambirajah said citizens should not be compelled to upload copies of official identification documents to companies operating outside Malaysia’s jurisdiction. “The current proposal raises extremely serious concerns involving privacy, cybersecurity, misuse of personal information and loss of national control over Malaysians’ personal identity data. “While Fomca acknowledges the need to protect children and minors online, consumer safety and national data sovereignty must never be sacrificed in the process. “Once such sensitive data leaves the country or is managed by international corporations, consumers lose visibility and control over how their information is used, stored, analysed, shared, monetised or retained.” Saravanan added that major questions surrounding the implementation remained unanswered. “Consumers still do not know who exactly would manage the verification system, where the data would be stored, how long the data would be retained and whether the information would be transferred overseas. “It is also unclear whether third party vendors are involved, and whether the collected data could eventually be used for profiling, behavioural advertising, artificial intelligence training, commercial analytics or data mining activities.” He said Fomca was particularly

WEAPONS HAUL ... Bukit Aman CID director Datuk M. Kumar (third from right) and senior police officers display weapons, ammunition and tools recovered from a violent robbery syndicate during a press conference at the Kajang district police headquarters yesterday. – ADAM AMIR HAMZAH/THESUN

Ű BY FAIZ RUZMAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com KL hotel drug party busted following guest’s death

36 individuals tested positive for drugs and 15 tested negative,” he said. All suspects have been remanded between three and six days to assist investigations. Police checks also found one suspect had a previous criminal record under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. The case is being investigated under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for drug trafficking, Section 39A(1) for possession of certain quantities of dangerous drugs, Section 12(2) for possession and Section 15(1)(a) for drug consumption.

unconscious at the hotel lobby. “The man was rushed to Kuala Lumpur Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival,” Hussein Omar said. Police did not disclose the victim’s identity or cause of death. He said the drugs seized included 15g of liquid synthetic stimulant drug MDMA, 284g of MDMA powder, 8.65g of ecstasy pills, 87g of ecstasy powder and 11.61g of ketamine. “The group was detected using luxury hotel rooms as a place for entertainment and drug abuse, and was also believed to be involved in immoral activities. “Initial urine screening found that

intelligence on suspected drug abuse and immoral activities, with police describing the gathering as involving a “drug party” and “gay party”. Those detained comprised 23 local men and 28 foreign women aged between 21 and 52. The operation was carried out by Bukit Aman together with the Kuala Lumpur police contingent narcotics division and the Brickfields district police narcotics division through four raids at the hotel. The man who died was believed to have taken part in the gathering. “Before the raid was conducted, police found that a man suspected of having attended the drug party was

PETALING JAYA: A private gathering at a prominent hotel in Kuala Lumpur turned into a narcotics raid after a suspected participant was found unconscious in the lobby and was later confirmed dead on arrival at Kuala Lumpur Hospital. Bukit Aman Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department director CP Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said police arrested 51 individuals and seized drugs worth RM103,070 during the operation conducted at 2.35am on May 24. He said the case stemmed from