In Pendang, it has been reported by chief statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin that more than 7.36 million Malaysian citizens, which makes up 35% of the country’s population, have updated their information on the Central Database Hub (Padu).
The Statistics Department is hopeful that more individuals will take action before the March 31 deadline, with increased government awareness programs being implemented.
Dr. Mahidin mentioned, “We anticipate a considerable rise in numbers. As of yesterday, there have been approximately 7.36 million registrations, surpassing 35% of the 18 and above age group – which is estimated at around 20 million citizens.
Furthermore, this data also includes dependents under 18 years old, elevating the total number to over 10 million when taking all dependents into account,” he explained during the Jelajah Padu tour in Kampung Tok Set.
Around 100 villagers from Kampung Tok Set were reported to have registered with Padu, with the assistance of Statistics Department staff in facilitating the registration and verification processes.
Dr. Mahidin emphasized the efforts made by the department in spreading awareness through various channels such as mass media, official media, social media, and directly engaging rural communities who may be unsure or unfamiliar with Padu.
He stated, “We were prepared for a significant response from the public. For instance, over 300,000 registrations were recorded in a single day, and it is anticipated to surge up to 800,000 registrations.”
To accommodate the large number of registrations, additional physical counters will be opened to aid the public in registering and to avoid any errors in the process.
In terms of Padu registrations in Kedah, Dr. Mahidin disclosed that statistics indicated 33% or approximately 533,000 residents had completed their registrations.
He added, “Kedah has the highest percentage of youth registrations in the nation, with 41.8% of the youth population already registered. Additionally, around 207,000 senior citizens have also registered with Padu. These statistics are promising and reflect the positive response from the community.”
