The national registration department (JPN) said it will ensure that the list of existing aid recipients in systems for government aid remains intact, and that no eligible recipient will be excluded during the transition process.

“The department is cooperating closely with various ministries and agencies responsible for aid distribution to ensure that the integrity of shared data is maintained and operations continue smoothly.

“The migration of information will take place automatically, thereby ensuring that assistance continues to reach eligible recipients.

“JPN’s main focus is to strengthen the security of citizens’ identities, not to make it difficult for the public to receive government aid,” it said in a statement.

The department was responding to concerns regarding possible technical disruptions or omission of names from the list of aid recipients following the launch of the new MyKad.

The replacement process will be carried out in phases, and detailed information on application procedures will be announced in the near future.

On May 7, JPN director-general Badrul Hisham Alias said the new MyKad will be equipped with 53 security features, compared with 23 features on the existing MyKad.

He said the security features include laser engraving, ultraviolet elements, holograms, guilloche patterns, microtext, quick response (QR) codes for enforcement purposes, and a chip with enhanced encryption technology.