KUCHING: Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng has refuted claims that the e-Tunai Rakyat initiative is a means to intrude upon a person’s personal information.
He said the programme was implemented and coordinated under Khazanah Nasional Bhd.
“They have set up all the safeguards,” he assured during his visit to The Spring Shopping Mall on Friday in conjunction with the launch of the e-Tunai Rakyat initiative.
“Data obtained from the programme is private and confidential,” he said.
He said if the government supposedly wished to gain access to personal information, this was already in identity cards (ICs) ― which is even more comprehensive.
“The government has all the information already in the ICs ― we do not need additional information,” he said, adding that this was not accessible by the private companies.
Lim said if there was any information gained at all, it was that consumption patterns were better understood. He said this would benefit private business companies.
Meanwhile, he emphasised that the government was not involved in business.
Earlier, he said that the government had put the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 in place with regard to the e-Tunai Rakyat initiative.
He also said that personal information obtained would not be shared with third parties.
