KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian government will implement comprehensive biometric data collection under proposed amendments to the National Registration Act 1959.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah announced that the new measures will include images of ten fingerprints, iris scans and facial recognition technology.
He emphasised the urgent need to upgrade biometric data collection methods to match current security requirements and information protection standards.
“This enhancement aligns with our proposal to introduce a new-structure identity card with improved security features,“ Shamsul Anuar stated during the parliamentary debate.
The National Registration (Amendment) Bill 2025 successfully passed through the Dewan Rakyat via voice vote today.
Official statistics reveal that authorities made 795 arrests for various National Registration Department offences between 2021 and August 2025.
Among these cases, 326 individuals faced charges for possessing counterfeit identity cards or using identification documents belonging to other people.
The Home Ministry and National Registration Department are simultaneously developing a next-generation identity card to replace the current version introduced in 2012.
This initiative aims to combat document forgery and misuse while incorporating the latest technological advancements in identity verification. – Bernama