Is your privacy at risk — or is MCMC just tracking trends? What you need to know about Malaysia's mobile data project
CYBERJAYA, June 10 — On the night of Hari Raya Aidiladha, it was reported that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had directed telecommunications companies (telcos) to hand over mobile personal data (MPD) to the government.
The directive, which reportedly involves mobile call records from the first quarter of this year, was said to be for official statistical purposes.
But how exactly will the data be used — and is your personal information at risk?
Project MPD
The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM), under the Economy Ministry, proposed the use of MPD as a new data source for producing official national statistics.
The proposal was presented to the Cabinet on April 19, 2023, and subsequently approved.
Speaking at a media briefing today, MCMC deputy managing director Datuk Zulkarnain Mohd Yasin said that MPD has been formally recognised by the United Nations as a key big data source for strengthening official statistics.
He said it offers a powerful tool to improve the quality, timeliness, and granularity of national data.
'The global initiative highlights the pressing need to transcend into traditional statistical methods and adopt innovative data solutions, better comprehend and address societal changes while ensuring that privacy and data protection remain paramount at every stage of implementation now,' he added.
Malaysia is not the first to implement the initiative, as countries like Indonesia and Oman have already done so.
In short, instead of relying on surveys conducted every five years, the government plans to use real-time data from MPD to inform policy-making and planning — rather than basing decisions on outdated figures from the last DoSM survey.
What sort of data that MPD will provide to the government?
During the briefing, the media were informed that the MPD project will only collect eight key parameters.
These include the location of signal towers (longitude and latitude), details on local and international mobile subscriptions, and call logs.
The data will provide the government with more accurate, real-time insights to support planning and policy-making, particularly in areas such as economic activity, population movement, and infrastructure needs.
For example, MPD can highlight areas with high mobile activity, helping authorities plan for better telecommunications coverage and capacity, or even identify previously overlooked population areas that were not part of the initial planning.
Zulkarnain shared a personal experience: 'I was stuck in traffic on the highway from Malacca to USJ. My daughter was supposed to have an online meeting with her university team, but she couldn't connect.
'Once the highway was congested, the mobile signal also became overloaded. This shows how people's movement affects not just road traffic but also telecom infrastructure.'
For the ICT sector, MPD enables the production of granular statistics — such as the number of active mobile broadband subscriptions and penetration rates — at multiple administrative levels, including state, district, mukim, parliamentary constituency, state legislative assembly, and local authority areas.
In the tourism sector, the system can generate indicators like the number of visitors and domestic tourism trips.
This allows planners to identify popular destinations, particularly among foreign tourists, and improve services and infrastructure in those areas.
'So from the MPD, we can know for example how many people are visiting the Batu Caves on Monday,' Zulkarnain added.
Will your personal data also be shared?
MCMC commissioner Derek John Fernandez reiterated that mobile users' personal data won't be shared by their respective telcos to the government.
'There's only eight parameters that we want for the data. That does not include a person's identification number, address and others. In fact, we do not want the personal data. In our letter sent to telcos, we told them to 'anonymised or pseudomised' the data when submitting it,' he said.
The eight parameters collected are:
MSISDN – An anonymised subscriber identifier Date and time of transmission Transmitter longitude Transmitter latitude Data type – Such as call detail records, indicating whether it's a regular call or data usage (e.g., WhatsApp) Service type – 3G, 4G, or 5G MCC (Mobile Country Code) – Identifies the country of origin Unique ID
Fernandez clarified that even the location of mobile users will not be shared — only traffic signals from mobile towers will be collected.
There are two ways for telcos to submit MPD data to MCMC:
Option A: Telcos process the data within their own secure environments. Once processing is complete, they submit only anonymised and aggregated outputs, such as the total number of mobile users, to MCMC.
Option B: For telcos without in-house processing capabilities, anonymised data is securely submitted to MCMC for processing.
According to Fernandez, most telcos opt for the first method.
Fernandez assured that MCMC stores all its data on its own premises and does not use cloud services or third-party storage.
When asked why the public was not consulted about the project, Fernandez explained that it is still in its pilot phase.
'We need to complete the pilot test first to get a clearer picture, how effective it is and how it can truly benefit us,' he said.
Cyberjaya has been identified as the first location for the pilot test and will run until 2026.
'This is the new way of survey. The digital way,' Zulkarnain said briefly in a press conference after the briefing.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
an hour ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Rafizi takes a swipe at education ministry, defends early resignation
Rafizi Ramli said he felt it was better to resign than be a 'lame duck' minister after his party election loss, as he had lost the support of the prime minister. PETALING JAYA : Former economy minister Rafizi Ramli has taken a swipe at the education ministry after coming under criticism for his early resignation from the Cabinet, saying he refused to become a 'lame duck' minister or a 'yes man' after being defeated as PKR deputy president. He said he had resigned because it was clear he had lost the prime minister's confidence, making it impossible to carry out reforms effectively. In the debut episode of his Yang Berhenti Menteri podcast, Rafizi defended his work as a minister, saying 'about 80% of what I planned was approved by the Cabinet. These are all done'. Referring to criticism of his resignation, he said: 'I get annoyed sometimes. The economy ministry gets all the questions. Go ask the education ministry — it's been two and a half years. Where's the major policy framework? Nothing. 'But they're busy talking about someone who resigned.' Rafizi said he had completed most of his key initiatives during his tenure, including the 13th Malaysia Plan, energy transition, labour market reforms, progressive wage policy, fiscal reforms, targeted subsidies, and digital government initiatives. Better to resign than be ineffective Rafizi, who lost to Nurul Izzah Anwar for the deputy PKR president's post last month, said it was better to resign than become a 'lame duck' minister. Rafizi said he stepped down not because he was throwing a fit, but because it was clear he had lost the prime minister's confidence, making it impossible to carry out reforms effectively. He said staying on would have meant either becoming a powerless figurehead or facing constant rejection of his policies. 'When Nurul Izzah contested against me, it was clear she had Anwar's blessing. That sends a signal to the civil service that I no longer have the prime minister's support,' he said. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is the PKR president and Nurul Izzah's father. 'If the prime minister no longer believes in your leadership, it's better to step down. If I had stayed on, I would have been a lame duck minister. If I tried to continue working effectively, I would have dragged the ministry down.' 'Unless I was willing to just clock in and out every day, but that's not who I am.' Rafizi said politics was about the responsible distribution of resources and values, and doing it efficiently and ethically. 'I get the most satisfaction from making real change, not from holding office without the ability to act.' Not a team player? Responding to criticism that he wasn't a team player during his time in the Cabinet, Rafizi pointed to his track record in Petronas and his work in leading thousands of volunteers to help PKR win over 40 seats in the 2018 general election He argued that being a team player doesn't mean saying 'yes' to everything. 'A good leader surrounds themselves with people who have the courage to disagree and who work based on competence and integrity — not just 'yes men'.' Rafizi also dismissed speculation that he plans to start a new political party, stating that it would only lead to instability within the country. However, he acknowledged that many long-time PKR supporters were disillusioned, adding that he plans to work closely with them. 'We don't need new drama. We need to focus on what matters,' he said.
Free Malaysia Today
5 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
6 judges honoured with rare elevation ceremony in Penang
The six judges with presiding senior Justice Rozana Ali Yusoff after the elevation ceremony at the High Court in George Town. GEORGE TOWN : Six High Court judges were honoured at a rare judicial elevation ceremony here today, reviving a long-standing tradition with roots dating back over two centuries. Today's ceremony presided over by senior judge Justice Rozana Ali Yusoff was the first to honour six judges at once. They were: Quay Chew Soon, Anand Ponnudurai, Azizan Arshad, Kenneth Yoong Ken Chinson St James, Fathiyah Idris and Rofiah Mohamad. Penang Bar chair Gowri Subbaiyah said the elevation ceremony usually takes place only when judicial commissioners are confirmed as High Court judges, 'which usually takes two to three years'. However, some among the six judges had been confirmed over the past three years but had not been formally recognised. 'Since they are still serving here, we felt it was only right to include them,' she said. It is understood that the elevation ceremony was last held in 2017, when Justice Lim Chong Fong, now a judge at the Court of Appeal, was elevated to the High Court. After today's ceremony, Justice St James described his confirmation as both humbling and liberating. 'I'm beholden to no one now. Only to God, my oath, the Constitution, and the rule of law,' he said. Justice Quay said his time in Penang had been both challenging and rewarding. 'I've enjoyed the cases, especially the complex ones, as they test the mind. And I've enjoyed the food and the people even more,' he said, adding that Penang was 'the best station a judge could hope for'. Justice Fathiyah paid tribute to the senior lawyers who helped her grow when she was a sessions court judge in Ipoh. Justice Anand, best known for his work in employment law, said the variety of cases in Penang had pushed him to grow. 'I've had to learn Acts of Parliament I never knew existed. And it's been worth it,' he said. 'My guiding rule is simple. I must be honest with myself. If I sign a judgment, it's because I believe it's the right decision.' The elevation ceremony is believed to have its beginnings in 1808 when the colonial settlement received its charter of justice, which led to the founding of the first formal court. Elevation ceremonies used to include a procession where judges would walk in full regalia from St George's Church to the court building. Although public processions are no longer held, the 'ceremonial spirit lives on', according to lawyer T Tharumarajah, who said the ceremony is aimed at introducing new judges to the public. It also serves as a bridge between the bar and the bench. He said: 'Judges and lawyers are meant to engage (with one another), not keep apart. But after the scandals that rocked the judiciary in the early 2000s, that bond weakened. It shouldn't be that way.'
Free Malaysia Today
6 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Abang Jo to ‘table something' at special Sarawak assembly sitting
Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg is expected to table a bill at a special one-day sitting of the state assembly. PETALING JAYA : The Sarawak legislative assembly will convene on July 7 for a special one-day sitting, with state premier Abang Johari Openg expected to table a bill. The Borneo Post reported that a letter on the special sitting, which starts at 9am, has been sent to assemblymen, although the purpose was not disclosed. Sarawak deputy premier Dr Sim Kui Hian was also reticent about the agenda of the meeting when asked by reporters, saying simply that Abang Johari would be 'tabling something' on the day without elaborating further.
