By: Dr. Sayed Mohammad Reza Yamani Sayed Umar
The government of Malaysia launched the integrated system of central database hub (PADU) on 2 January 2024 in Putrajaya last month. The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, highlighted the three objectives of PADU.
The first PADU objective is to provide national database hub with safety, security, comprehensive and ‘near real time’ for the accuracy process of digitalisation and data analytics. Secondly, to draft future national policies in which the government decision comprehends any decision according to PADU. Thirdly, to accommodate the government policy implementation that is given to targeted groups of societies with regards to socioeconomic benefits and fiscal outlook.
Personal profile and data of Malaysian and permanent residence above 18 years old and their household members are safely and securely ensured by the CyberSecurity Malaysia. PADU is open for registration and updating until March 31.
The government recently launched another flagship programme, the Bumiputera Economic Congress 2024 (KEB) last week. During the programme, The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim emphasised on more equitable economic development and poverty alleviation among Malays and Bumiputera, without marginalising other ethnic groups as well. The economic development in the current MADANI unity government is aimed to be more inclusive.
In reaching the highest number of PADU registrations by the end of this month. The government ought to consider continuing subnational statistics parliament and state legislative assembly (SLA) in the future as soon as the PADU system is completed. The parliamentary and state legislative level data will complement the socioeconomic database in which the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) released on 2 March 2023 last year. The parliamentary and state legislative level data will be used to catalyst for socioeconomic development of local communities.
In some developed and developing countries, the district, parliamentary and local assembly level data are beneficial to support the economic development. Local-level statistics data support more fact-based policy-making and crucial for implementation and accountability. It is known that increasing demands for timely and trustworthy local-level data will be hard to meet without an increased use of data source like administrative registers and geospatial information.
The local-level geography however differs from administrative regions which most countries have as standard geographies. Geospatial patterns rarely follow administrative boundaries, which is why showing local-level statistics on more functional areas, such as urban and rural areas, are increasingly important. It allows users to search, access, display and view information by population / demographic, social and economic data at various geographical levels.
Statistics at the local level explain the population living in geographical areas such as urban or rural areas, neighbourhoods, census districts, electoral districts or grids. The data sources for compiling local-level statistics may be the population and housing census, administrative records and/or geospatial information. Local-level statistics are always aggregates, often based on micro-data but never revealing information about single individuals, households or establishments.
In Malaysia, DOSM covers selected statistics at the parliament and state assembly level (SLA) consist of basic information such as population, housing, employment, household income, education, health, poverty, public safety, internet and social media, basic amenities and number of businesses. With increased use of administrative data sources, such as population registers, taxation files and various geospatial data, such as building or real estate coordinates, the possibilities to produce relevant and timely local-level statistics is expected to grow.
The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) have an important role to play in providing local-level statistics covering the whole country, taking into account the need to balance openness and privacy. The latest 2023 DOSM subnational statistics of parliament and state assembly level covers 222 and 600 seats, respectively.
The author is a Research Fellow at the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies, Universiti Malaya. He may be reached at uacds@um.edu.my