THE alleged sale of personal details of 22.5 million Malaysians that went viral on social media was not from the National Registration Department (NRD), said Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin. 

“We (at the ministry) have a mechanism to verify that the leaked data was not from the NRD.

“As in previous cases, the sale of data involves several agencies, which we have given some leeway (for them) to obtain information from the department,” he told reporters at the Home Ministry’s open house today.

Hamzah said an investigation carried out by the ministry found that the data was sold by a collection of sellers from other sources.

“All individuals involved in the sale of personal data will be called in to assist in the investigation and the findings would be announced soon,” he said.

Following that, Hamzah said the standard operating procedure to obtain personal data through the agencies under NRD will be reviewed.

“The NRD feels that there is a need for personal data to be obtained directly from the department concerned so that issues like these do not arise,” he said.

Earlier, it was reported that there were alleged online sales of personal data of more than 22 million Malaysians, as well as identity card verification snapshots of 800,000 individuals, belonging to the NRD and Election Commission. – Bernama, May 18, 2022.