KUALA LUMPUR: The National Registration Department (NRD) counters at Urban Transformation Centres (UTC) offer Malaysians a convenient option to replace or renew their MyKad on weekends, without having to take time off from work.
A check by Bernama found that members of the public began arriving at UTCs as early as 8am Saturday (Sept 20) to attend to MyKad-related matters, including renewing identity cards with damaged chips, as well as carrying out other transactions such as banking, government assistance and healthcare services.
Night market trader Borhanuddin Othman, 52, decided to replace his MyKad after using the old identity card for over 13 years.
“Nowadays, many government aid programmes require an identity card, such as the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA). Soon, fuel subsidies will also require the MyKad. If it gets damaged unexpectedly, it could make other matters difficult,” he told Bernama when met at UTC Keramat.
MyKad-related matters have drawn attention following Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail’s reminder on Friday (Sept 19), urging Malaysians to immediately check their identity cards to ensure the chips are functioning properly.
The MyKad has become essential for official transactions and accessing government aid systems, making it crucial to ensure that its functionality is always maintained.
Housewife Noraini Abdullah, 36, who arrived at UTC at 8am to replace her damaged MyKad, said the faulty chip had disrupted her banking transactions.
“Two days ago, I wanted to open a new savings account, but the fingerprint reader could not detect my identity card. The bank asked me to replace my MyKad because the chip was damaged. Doing it at the UTC is convenient since many counters are open and the waiting time is short,” she said.
Accountant Fatimah Zahra Mohd Salleh, 34, said she decided to renew her MyKad after experiencing problems at a health clinic when the chip in her card failed to be read by the registration system.
“The clinic staff told me my information could not be accessed because the chip on my MyKad was scratched. That’s why I had to renew it, as so many services nowadays require the identity card,” she said.”Luckily, UTCs are open on weekends; otherwise, I would have had to take leave on a weekday. The waiting time is only about an hour if you do it at a UTC,” she said.
As the country’s primary identification document, the MyKad is embedded with a security chip that stores personal data and supports various applications, including health records and access to government aid systems.
Members of the public can renew their MyKad at NRD counters nationwide for a fee of RM10, or free of charge if the damage occurs within 12 months from the date of issuance. – Bernama
