Malaysians receiving the redesigned MyKad cannot yet use the new identity card to complete first-time online registration for MyDigital ID. The digital identity service says support for the new card is scheduled to become available on October 1.
The restriction affects the normal app-based registration process for people who do not already have a MyDigital ID account. Existing users who replace an older MyKad with the new version can continue using their current MyDigital ID certificate.
First-time registrants can instead use a physical MyDigital ID kiosk. The service has nearly 700 kiosks, providing an alternative to scanning the card through the mobile application while the online process is updated. The redesigned card places its chip on the back, changing how it must be inserted into a reader.
The new MyKad also moves the cardholder’s photograph from the right side to the left. The current MyDigital ID registration screen still shows the older card layout. Separate testing by SoyaCincau found problems scanning the redesigned credential during electronic customer verification for several banking and wallet applications.
Malaysia began issuing the new MyKad on September 17. The physical credential includes a transparent security window and a QR code reserved for authorized enforcement use. The National Registration Department, known as JPN, says ordinary smartphone cameras cannot read that code and that it is not a payment feature.
MyDigital ID is a separate service from the physical MyKad program. Its registration process uses the national identity credential to establish a digital identity for access to participating online services. A card redesign can therefore affect the initial document-capture step even when an existing digital certificate continues to function.
The kiosk network has also been receiving facial biometric verification against JPN records. Malaysia’s National Security Council announced that upgrade in June, with phased implementation intended to strengthen registration and reduce identity misuse.
JPN has said existing MyKad cards remain valid, so people with a functioning older card do not need to replace it immediately. For holders of the redesigned card who need a first MyDigital ID account before October 1, registration at a kiosk remains an available alternative to the app’s normal online enrollment route.
Sources: SoyaCincau
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By the ID Tech Editorial Team
