Malaysia’s National Registration Department (JPN/NRD) clarified on July 23 that it is not conducting any special campaign or operation to force the public to update their residential address on their MyKad identity cards, nor taking action against those who have failed to do so [1, 2, 3]. The department emphasized that maintaining accurate and current information on the MyKad is the responsibility of each cardholder. “The responsibility of ensuring that information on the MyKad remains accurate and up-to-date lies with each cardholder,” the NRD said [1].
JPN/NRD reminded cardholders who have moved to a new permanent residence that they are encouraged to update their information by visiting the NRD office. The fee for replacing a MyKad with updated details is RM10 [1, 2, 3]. Under Regulation 15 of the National Registration Regulations 1990, those who have changed their residence for 90 days or more are legally required to update their ID card with the new address [1, 2, 3].
A viral social media post falsely claimed that failure to update a MyKad address could result in legal penalties including fines up to RM20,000, imprisonment up to three years, or both [1, 2, 3]. The NRD cautioned the public against spreading unverified information, saying, “Such claims do not reflect the actual situation and could cause confusion and unease among the public. Always verify information from official sources and do not make your own interpretations based on incomplete or out-of-context posts.” [1]
The department’s statements aim to quash concerns over any government enforcement campaign or profit motive linked to enforcement of Regulation 15 [1, 2, 3]. The NRD reiterated that keeping MyKad information current is a personal responsibility and that it is not enforcing penalties against non-compliance at this time.
The public is advised to update MyKad information by visiting local NRD offices if they have changed residence and resided at the new address for 90 days or longer to comply with national regulations [1, 2, 3].
