He said the matter was raised during the National Council of Digital Economy and Fourth Industrial Revolution meeting yesterday, Utusan Malaysia reported.
Anwar, who is also finance minister, said that the complex issues discussed during the meeting had tested his patience.
“Our expectations may be high, but the proper implementation of MyDigital ID has been delayed by nearly a year.
“Similarly, the rollout of the second 5G network and negotiations between Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) and telecommunications companies have also stalled.
“Reminders issued a year ago remain unanswered by both parties, which caused me to lose patience,” he told a staff assembly of the finance ministry today.
However, he apologised to those who had attended the meeting, including his fellow ministers.
“The ministers who attended yesterday were caught off guard by my reaction. I offer my sincerest apologies,” he said.
The MyDigital ID initiative, announced by Anwar in November last year, has registered over 1.2 million users. It is intended to serve as a secure and trusted digital identification system for Malaysians.
It was previously announced that citizens would be required to log into the MyJPJ app using MyDigital ID as part of Malaysia’s push for digitalisation and streamlined access to government services.
The announcement sparked mixed reactions, with some asking why the identification system was compulsory as the MyDigital ID app often froze or lagged.
Transport minister Loke Siew Fook subsequently announced that users could continue to access the MyJPJ app without having to log in with their MyDigital ID account. He said no official decision was made for the use of MyDigital ID in this regard.
Last week, addressing concerns over DNB’s funding for the first 5G network, digital minister Gobind Singh Deo said the government only contributed a RM500 million equity injection in 2021 and a RM450 million shareholder loan from the Minister of Finance Incorporated in May 2023.
DNB is also financed through private loans, including bank loans guaranteed by the government, as well as other financial sources, he added.
Gobind said that the telecommunication companies in DNB must pay the government before the second 5G network can be implemented.