He said the upgrades were part of the ministry’s strategy to strengthen the security of national identification documents and mitigate the risk of forgery.

He added that the replacement would not be rushed, but would be carried out based on security needs and the scheduled renewal cycle.

“The MyKad is a security document, and after a certain period, its features need to be enhanced in line with technological developments to prevent forgery,” he told a press conference after a ministry event here today.

In November, deputy home minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the next generation MyKad would be embedded with a QR code, enabling authorities to verify the authenticity of each identity card.

Saifuddin said today the Malaysian passport is currently ranked as the third most trusted in the world in terms of visa-free travel, and that providing a new-generation document was crucial to maintaining this level of reliability.

“Malaysia will have a redesigned passport within six months. The new document will include upgraded security features to preserve its integrity and address the risk of forgery,” he said.

On a separate matter, Saifuddin said the 2024 Constitution (Amendment) Bill regarding citizenship, which has already been passed, is expected to take effect in June or July.

He said the ministry needed to make thorough preparations, including amendments to the Citizenship Regulations 1964 in both Malay and English.

“The relevant forms must also be prepared, and Malaysian representatives abroad must be informed before the gazetting receives the consent of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong,” he said.