How to register for Padu and what information it wants

Registration for the government’s Central Database Hub (Padu) - which will be used to fine-tune eligibility and distribution of aid and subsidies - is open.

The registration can be done at www.padu.gov.my and is entirely in Malay for now.

The first step in registering is keying in your identity card number and the postcode for the address on your MyKad, as well as your phone number and email.

You can then set a password for your account.

Once a password is set, you will be getting a One-Time Password (OTP) via SMS to your mobile phone which you must then key in.

Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli said there were issues with Celcom users receiving the OTP late but that the issue was being resolved.

Once you have keyed in the OTP, you must then go through the e-KYC (electronic know your customer) process to verify your identity.

This involves taking a photo of your MyKad, and a selfie of yourself.

Padu’s website stated that verification of the e-KYC can take up to three days, but in Malaysiakini’s experience, it is instantaneous for now.

After your verification is complete, you can then log in to the website and go through the process of updating your details.

This is a comprehensive list, with information required ranging from your household details, current address, job details, distance from home to work, monthly commitments, income and other sources of revenue, and any aid that you already currently receive.

Rafizi said that this could help the government determine one's socioeconomic status by factoring in their financial commitments.

"It would help with frequent issues faced in the past such as when someone comes to receive government aid but arrives in a Mercedes Benz," he said during Padu's launch.

It would also do away with the B40, M40, and T20 classifications that do not factor in an individual's net salary.

How this will exactly factor into the aid and subsidy distribution has not been laid out.

More accurate economic status

The B40, M40, and T20 labels have been criticised in the past for not accurately capturing one’s living status, such as those experiencing urban poverty, or those with large family commitments.

At the same time, the government aims to ensure that the “ultra-rich” no longer enjoy subsidies meant for those with lesser means. - Mkini