PETALING JAYA: The number of people registering for the Central Database Hub (Padu) is likely to achieve its 50 per cent target before the closing at 11.59pm today.
Up to noon today, the number of registrations had increased to 10.8 million or 48.3 per cent of those aged 18 and above.
Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin today said he was optimistic of achieving the target of 50 per cent registrations.
"As with any new initiative, it would be a challenge to get 100 per cent (registrations). So if 50 per cent (of adults) register, it is considered a good achievement.
"We realise that asking people to register and fill up their details without seeing the immediate benefits is something that's not easy, but any (future) aid or decision by the government to help people is based on the information we have
"This would make any initiative or programme by the government easier (to distribute)."
He said this at the Padu registration programme at Sri Aman Apartments in Petaling Jaya.
Uzir said the process to update data in Padu would be done periodically after the registration closed tonight.
He said, however, the registration for those who did not do so in the first round might not be as easy as those who had done it.
He said those who had registered would only need to update changes, if any, in the next cycle.
He said people's profile was already in the database, but the government needed it to be updated with the information on their income, number of dependents and address.
"To those who do not register for Padu, their basic details, such as their demographics, we already have it. We only need dynamic data.
"Other information (that is already in the Padu system), we've compiled data from the Social Security Organisation and the Employees Provident Fund."
He said the deadline to register was made so the government could analyse the data to plan initiatives.
"For those who do not fill in or have made mistakes when registering, there will be another chance in the future to update it."
