PUTRAJAYA: Claims about personal data mining through the e-Tunai Rakyat initiative is baseless, said Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng.
Allaying fears raised by certain parties about personal data intrusion through the programme, Lim said the government only wanted to identify consumer trends and would not share the data with any party.
“If we want to talk about (obtaining) data, it is already available on the identity cards. If there is any benefit to be gained (from this exercise), it will be in terms of tracking usage trends.
“So please do not get influenced by parties who may be jealous of the good response this programme has received. They are trying to belittle the programme," he said.
He assured that personal data obtained from the programme would be kept confidential.
Earlier Lim and Transport Minister Anthony Loke witnessed the signing of a supplemental agreement for the MRT2 known as the Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya line at the Finance Ministry.
Claims alleging the Pakatan Harapan government was using the e-Tunai programme to mine data about the people as it gears up for the next general election brewed on social media since it was introduced on Monday (Jan 15).
Malaysians aged 18 and above with an annual income of RM100,000 and below are eligible to apply for the RM30 free shopping money under the e-Tunai initiative.
The e-wallet payment system is available via three operators namely Grab, Boost and Touch 'n Go.
Those who qualified have until March 9 to do so and they have until March 14 to spend it at any of the selected merchants.
The RM450 million e-Tunai Rakyat initiative is aimed at boosting the use of digital payment system among Malaysian consumers and merchants, particularly among small retail businesses.
Lim said as of 10pm yesterday, 672,000 applications for e-Tunai was approved out of 784,000 people who applied.
"We have also disbursed RM18.8 million through the RM30 free shopping money given to the people," he added.
