Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli is urging non-Malays to register on the Central Database Hub (Padu) to ensure they are not left out of government assistance programs, as reported in Putrajaya. According to the latest mapping system, certain areas in the country have low registrations on Padu, with constituencies like Seputeh, Segambut, and Bukit Bintang having the highest number of unregistered residents.
Kuala Lumpur follows Selangor as having the highest number of areas with unregistered individuals on Padu, with 992 areas identified. Rafizi highlighted that in Kuala Lumpur, the majority of unregistered residents reside in condominiums and flats, and many of them are non-Malays who may face exclusion from government aid.
“My plea to all non-Malay friends is that we have two weeks left to register on Padu,” urged Rafizi during a press conference at Menara Prisma. He emphasized that registering on Padu would decrease the risk of non-Malays being excluded from government assistance, including aid for the elderly and special needs individuals.
He pointed out that in the past, non-Malay residents were unaware of available government assistance programs as the previous approach required individuals to apply directly to government departments. By registering on Padu, individuals can be included in government program planning, allowing for immediate identification of households in need of assistance.
At the press conference, Rafizi revealed that 4,752 areas across the nation have residents who are not registered on Padu and have not received any government assistance. Selangor leads with 1,282 areas with low registrations, followed by Kuala Lumpur with 992 areas, Sarawak with 765 areas, and Sabah with 620 areas lacking registrations.
Padu focuses on updating and visualizing administrative records at the locality level, including various types of residential areas like public housing, low-cost housing, flats, condominiums, and more. Rafizi highlighted that this localized research is crucial to ensure comprehensive coverage and prevent any gaps in assistance.
Furthermore, Johor, Penang, and Kelantan have more than 200 areas with minimal Padu registrations, with Kedah reporting 157 such areas. States with less than 80 areas with low registrations include Pahang (70), Perak (67), Terengganu (35), Negri Sembilan (eight), Perlis (seven), Putrajaya (five), and Melaka (two). Despite being from the B40 and lower M40 groups, residents in these areas have no existing data of receiving government assistance.
Rafizi expressed concern that these residents are at risk of missing out on upcoming government programs and assistance due to their unregistered status on Padu. With two weeks left until the March 31 deadline, he announced that the Padu team would intensify efforts to encourage registration among residents in identified areas.
