LET’S cut to the chase: babies today aren’t just born screaming for susu and attention; they come pre-installed with an instinct for swiping iPads, unlocking phones and somehow finding YouTube videos that you definitely never clicked on.
By the time your little angel can barely say “nenek”, they are already halfway to creating a TikTok dance reel. And you think a bit of parental nagging is enough to protect them online? Please. You might as well hand them a Milo packet and wish them luck in the digital jungle.
Here’s the deal. Malaysians are obsessed with their MyKad. It is our ultimate badge of existence, the almighty plastic card that proves you are real enough to vote or complain that you can’t, sign up for a telco plan, buy duty-free chocolates and occasionally be scolded at the bank counter.
In this day and age, MyKad feels like that one uncle who still insists on using a Nokia 3310 – respectable, yes, but not exactly keeping up with the times.
We need its glow-up sibling – the digital MyKad – a secure, compulsory cyber ID linked directly to your real self. And here’s the kicker: it should be automatic from birth. That’s right. Along with your baby’s birth certificate, you get a digital ID. Congratulations, makcik, your newborn is now ready to face the digital future – though maybe finish kindergarten first.
The dodgy internet pasar malam
Why the rush? Because the internet is a dodgy pasar malam on steroids. Sure, it has bargains, entertainment and the occasional gem but it is also crawling with scammy uncles, dodgy “crypto mentors” and predators lurking behind usernames like “HotBoy_2003”. And don’t get me started on the fake accounts. For every real Ah Chong or Siti Nur, there are 10 “PrincessLuv88” or “DatoRugiCepatKaya” types waiting to wreak havoc. Children, meanwhile, wander into this chaos like kampung children crossing a sungai penuh lintah barefoot. They are naturally curious, easily fooled and terrifyingly tech-savvy.
Age limits? Nice try
The “over 13 only” rule for social media? Cute. Show me one Malaysian child who hasn’t lied about their birth date online faster than you can say “Astro Go login”.
By age nine, many of them are already livestreaming while parents are still Googling how to reset their Facebook password.
Here is where digital ID can play superhero. Tie every account to a verified identity and suddenly the internet stops being the Wild West. Before anyone yells “privacy invasion!”, let’s not be dramatic. Big brother already knows you forgot to pay your road tax, how many times you applied for BR1M and whether you secretly order McDelivery at midnight.
Just to be clear, the system under digital ID does not need to tell Facebook or TikTok your full IC number, address or whether you secretly order nasi lemak at 2am. All it does is alert a platform whether you are underage or old enough to enter. Age check, nothing more. Sensitive info stays protected.
Systemic protection, not slogans
Let’s face it – telling children “don’t talk to strangers online” works about as well as telling Malaysians “don’t double park, nanti kena saman”. Lovely advice but mostly ignored.
What they need is systemic protection. Imagine your anak tries to sign up for Instagram at age seven, the system politely says: “Sorry adik, you still makan Happy Meal, not Starbucks. Come back in six years.”
Now, let’s think bigger. Schools can link digital ID to online learning platforms – no more pretending to be “John Cena” in Zoom class.
Banks can block underage children from “accidentally” applying for loans or buying cryptocurrency. E-commerce sites can stop children from secretly ordering RM499 gaming chairs and hiding the delivery box in bilik stor.
But let’s not sugar-coat this. A digital ID system will also expose parents. Yes, you – the ones happily giving toddlers tablets and using Doraemon as a babysitter while you binge K-drama. With digital ID, accountability cuts both ways.
Structure over chaos
Balanced view-lah. We don’t want to turn the internet into a police state. Nobody is asking for a ministry of TikTok affairs to monitor every emoji. What is needed is structure – guardrails that actually protect children.
And yes, Malaysians will complain. We always do. “So maafkan-lah, need to log in with digital ID!”
But the same Malaysians will also post on Facebook: “Why government not protecting our children from online predators?” You can’t have it both ways.
So here’s the vision: MyKad for the physical world, digital MyKad for online. Automatic, seamless, no excuses. By the time they hit secondary school and attempt their first sneaky Instagram account, the system already knows: “Nice try, champ, but your UPSR results say you are still in Standard Six.”
Malaysia wants to be a “digital nation”? Then stop treating digital safety like an optional afterthought. It has to be bold, systemic, and yes, a little bit sassy.
Because if there is one thing Malaysians respect, it is a good lempang. In this case, the digital ID is the modern, non-physical version of that – a firm reminder to behave online, delivered with love and a dash of bureaucracy.
Final word
So, let’s do it. Digital ID from birth because honestly, if your baby can already unlock your iPhone at six months, don’t you think it is time they had their own ID?
Azura Abas is the associate editor of theSun. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com