KUALA LUMPUR: The digital ID and driver’s license services on blockchain for Chinese visitors in Malaysia, which were just launched, will eliminate the need for paper-based credentials, said Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that data security is a top priority for these new services.
After officiating the Zetrix and Beitou launch of digital ID and driver’s license services on blockchain, a commercial partnership between Malaysia’s MyEG Services Berhad and China’s state-owned Guangxi Beitou Innovation Technology Investment Group Co Ltd, Ahmad Zahid stated “This is a cooperation between MyEG and Beitou IT Innovation to use Zetrix and Xinghuo blockchains to provide services to issue and verify documents such as cross-border cross-chain identifications.”
“The government supports such a system. Transport Minister Anthony Loke had presented this matter to the Cabinet to lower the costs of obtaining a driver’s license and add more features to the license,” Ahmad Zahid added.
“The government has not given any approval to any private company to handle the personal data of Malaysians. Personal data is guaranteed of its confidentiality.”
“If the government does approve, the condition will be that all such data will only be owned and controlled by the Malaysian Government,” said Ahmad Zahid.
Ahmad Zahid emphasized that the concern about breaches of Malaysians’ personal data should be alleviated as the government ensures that the personal data of Malaysians will be entirely safeguarded by the Malaysian Government and that confidentiality will not be compromised.
Guangxi Beibu Gulf Investment Group general manager Huang Xue Jun and MyEG Group operations manager Wong Thean Soon were both present at the event.
Before the launch, Wong said that the service will initially be offered to Chinese nationals who can choose to convert their national IDs or driving licenses into a verifiable credential (VC) on Xinghuo International, the international gateway for China’s national public blockchain.
Beitou IT is the IT arm of the Guangxi Beibu Gulf Investment Group.
