Latest news with #Zurkarnain
The Sun
a day ago
- Politics
- The Sun
MPD speeds up digital transformation of national stats, no personal data breach
CYBERJAYA: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) today emphasised that the collection of Mobile Phone Data (MPD) from mobile network operators is to enhance national policy planning and development by utilising anonymised mobile data, without involving any personal information. MCMC deputy managing director Datuk Zulrkarnain Mohd Yasin said MPD is a global initiative supported by the United Nations (UN), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and World Bank and adopted by over 50 countries. 'This initiative supports digital transformation in statistics collection methods. With mobile phone coverage exceeding 148 per cent, we can generate faster, more accurate, and comprehensive data compared to conventional survey methods, which may take years,' he said at a media briefing on MPD, here today. Zurkarnain said the usage of MPD, which has raised concerns among users, allows for more efficient and precise development-related planning and policy interventions. He explained that this is because MPD enhances efficiency in the collection of data and statistics, while also addressing several limitations inherent in traditional survey methods. 'For example, population studies are usually conducted via national census, which is only held once every 10 years. In fact, detailed surveys often require face-to-face interviews with respondents, which are time-consuming and costly. 'With MPD, some of the required information is already available without having to ask respondents directly in survey questions. This makes the data collection process more efficient and faster,' he said. From the respondent's perspective, he said MPD enables policies to be formulated more efficiently, while also saving respondents' time, as they may now only need to answer 10 questions instead of 30 previously. On the issue of privacy, Zurkarnain reiterated that all MPD data is anonymous and does not include the users' names, identification card numbers, addresses, or locations. 'The data only refers to the location of the transmission towers, not the users' actual location,' he stressed. He added that MCMC does not receive any raw data. All data has already been anonymised by the service providers and does not violate the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA). Zurkarnain said the data collection was to support an initiative led by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) which is currently in its pilot phase. It will be expanded once all data security and governance aspects are firmly in place. 'Public consultation will be held once the pilot phase has been concluded. The goal of MPD is to produce statistical data, not to track individuals. This marks a major shift in national data collection that should be supported,' he said.
The Sun
a day ago
- Politics
- The Sun
MCMC: Mobile Data Use for Policy, Not Personal Tracking
CYBERJAYA: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) today emphasised that the collection of Mobile Phone Data (MPD) from mobile network operators is to enhance national policy planning and development by utilising anonymised mobile data, without involving any personal information. MCMC deputy managing director Datuk Zulrkarnain Mohd Yasin said MPD is a global initiative supported by the United Nations (UN), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and World Bank and adopted by over 50 countries. 'This initiative supports digital transformation in statistics collection methods. With mobile phone coverage exceeding 148 per cent, we can generate faster, more accurate, and comprehensive data compared to conventional survey methods, which may take years,' he said at a media briefing on MPD, here today. Zurkarnain said the usage of MPD, which has raised concerns among users, allows for more efficient and precise development-related planning and policy interventions. He explained that this is because MPD enhances efficiency in the collection of data and statistics, while also addressing several limitations inherent in traditional survey methods. 'For example, population studies are usually conducted via national census, which is only held once every 10 years. In fact, detailed surveys often require face-to-face interviews with respondents, which are time-consuming and costly. 'With MPD, some of the required information is already available without having to ask respondents directly in survey questions. This makes the data collection process more efficient and faster,' he said. From the respondent's perspective, he said MPD enables policies to be formulated more efficiently, while also saving respondents' time, as they may now only need to answer 10 questions instead of 30 previously. On the issue of privacy, Zurkarnain reiterated that all MPD data is anonymous and does not include the users' names, identification card numbers, addresses, or locations. 'The data only refers to the location of the transmission towers, not the users' actual location,' he stressed. He added that MCMC does not receive any raw data. All data has already been anonymised by the service providers and does not violate the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA). Zurkarnain said the data collection was to support an initiative led by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) which is currently in its pilot phase. It will be expanded once all data security and governance aspects are firmly in place. 'Public consultation will be held once the pilot phase has been concluded. The goal of MPD is to produce statistical data, not to track individuals. This marks a major shift in national data collection that should be supported,' he said.
Borneo Post
a day ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
MCMC: MPD speeds up digital transformation of national stats, no personal data breach
MCMC has stated that MPD is a global initiative supported by the United Nations (UN), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and World Bank and adopted by over 50 countries. – Bernama photo CYBERJAYA (June 9): The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) today emphasised that the collection of Mobile Phone Data (MPD) from mobile network operators is to enhance national policy planning and development by utilising anonymised mobile data, without involving any personal information. MCMC deputy managing director Datuk Zurkarnain Mohd Yasin said MPD is a global initiative supported by the United Nations (UN), International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and World Bank and adopted by over 50 countries. 'This initiative supports digital transformation in statistics collection methods. With mobile phone coverage exceeding 148 per cent, we can generate faster, more accurate, and comprehensive data compared to conventional survey methods, which may take years,' he said at a media briefing on MPD, here today. Zurkarnain said the usage of MPD, which has raised concerns among users, allows for more efficient and precise development-related planning and policy interventions. He explained that this is because MPD enhances efficiency in the collection of data and statistics, while also addressing several limitations inherent in traditional survey methods. 'For example, population studies are usually conducted via national census, which is only held once every 10 years. In fact, detailed surveys often require face-to-face interviews with respondents, which are time-consuming and costly. 'With MPD, some of the required information is already available without having to ask respondents directly in survey questions. This makes the data collection process more efficient and faster,' he said. From the respondent's perspective, he said MPD enables policies to be formulated more efficiently, while also saving respondents' time, as they may now only need to answer 10 questions instead of 30 previously. On the issue of privacy, Zurkarnain reiterated that all MPD data is anonymous and does not include the users' names, identification card numbers, addresses, or locations. 'The data only refers to the location of the transmission towers, not the users' actual location,' he stressed. He added that MCMC does not receive any raw data. All data has already been anonymised by the service providers and does not violate the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA). Zurkarnain said the data collection was to support an initiative led by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) which is currently in its pilot phase. It will be expanded once all data security and governance aspects are firmly in place. 'Public consultation will be held once the pilot phase has been concluded. The goal of MPD is to produce statistical data, not to track individuals. This marks a major shift in national data collection that should be supported,' he said.
The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
MCMC: Only eight data types required from telcos in Mobile Phone Data collection initiative
The data will be collected and stored on premise in MCMC for three years. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star CYBERJAYA: Mobile network operators are only required to provide eight types of data in the Mobile Phone Data (MPD) collection initiative, according to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). "No personally identifiable information such as IC number, name or phone number are collected," said MCMC deputy managing director Datuk Zurkarnain Mohd Yasin during a media briefing today (June 9). He explained that the data collected include MSISDN (mobile station international subscriber directory number), which MCMC also termed as "anonymised subscribers' identifier"; unique ID; and the longitude as well as longitude data of telco towers. Also collected are data on the date and time of each transaction; data type (call detail records or Internet protocol detail records); type of network (2G, 4G or 5G) and mobile country code (country identifier to distinguish between local or international subscriptions). The data will be collected and stored on premise in MCMC for three years, he added. Zurkarnain also explained that the MPD is currently in pilot phase and is expected to continue until 2026: "We have started in Cyberjaya and Melaka. Then the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) will decide how it goes after that." He added that anonymised MPD is not classified as a form of personal data under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA) because "it cannot be used to identify or trace individuals either directly or indirectly"; hence anonymised MPD falls outside the scope of PDPA. "We have no intentions to get information on individual whereabouts. MPD is considered as a new form of gathering statistical data. Previously, we had to rely on surveys or census," he said. On why it's crucial, Zurkarnain said it's part of the digital transformation agenda to rely on big data and analytics for a more targeted approach in policy making. The initiative is focusing on gathering official statistics in two key areas namely ICT and tourism. Last week, users raised concerns over data privacy and security after reports about the MPD collection initiative emerged. Commission member Derek Fernandez said claims about user personal data being collected are false. "The circular sent to the mobile network operators showed that we have requested for the data to be anonymised. We do not want any personal data," he said, adding no third-party contractor has been appointed for the initiaitve. Zurkarnain confirmed that a fine on mobile network operators for non-compliance is needed as part of a requirement to support the initiative: "Everybody has to play a role in national development. We can talk about wanting to implement digital transformation using big data but what if there is no data and the data owner does not want to cooperate, then where do we move from there?" He added that all mobile network operators have agreed to comply. DOSM will process and analyse the data for publication. When asked if users can opt out of the initiative, Zurkarnain said: "It is a Cabinet decision, what we are doing is for national development. This is part of a regulatory requirement that we have asked the operators to comply." Fernandez added that it is stipulated in the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 for MCMC to gather relevant data to improve infrastructure: "We do it within the benchmarks of international standards and practices."
New Straits Times
a day ago
- New Straits Times
MCMC says anonymised mobile phone data not classified as 'personal data'
CYBERJAYA: Anonymised mobile phone data (MPD) collected by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is not classified as personal data. MCMC deputy managing director Datuk Zurkarnain Mohd Yasin said this is because the data they received from mobile network operators (MNO) cannot be used to identify or trace individuals. He said the eight data sets collected by MNO only include an anonymised identifier set by the operators, date and time of the transaction by transmitters, location of the transmission tower connected to the devices, type of network and country identifier. Zurkarnain gave his assurance that they were in full compliance of Malaysian laws and international standards. On Friday, MCMC clarified that its collection of mobile phone data from mobile network operators does not involve the access , processing or disclosure of any personally identifiable information. MCMC said the mobile phone data will be used strictly to generate official statistics to support evidence-based policymaking in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector and the tourism sector. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil, on Sunday, said MCMC is not seeking any personal data of users from telecommunications companies. He said MCMC's recent request to telcos was for anonymised data to support evidence-based policymaking, including for network infrastructure improvements.
