Datasonic to issue more biometric ID cards in Malaysia, wins Indonesian contract

Malaysian security printing company Datasonic says it is upping its capacity to issue biometric ID cards for foreign workers (i-Kad) in the Southeast Asian country to two million yearly, going forward.

The company’s Executive Director, Datuk Ab. Hamid Mohamad Hanipah, disclosed the information recently in a statement as reported by New Straits Times. The official said the projection is based on an increase in demand for the document especially as it is now required for the renewal of temporary work passes.

The i-Kad credential has been issued by Datasonic since August last year, the executive director noted, adding that it can be issued at all the issuance centers run by the Immigration Department.

Explaining the quality of the foreign workers card, the official said as quoted: “It incorporates our multi-modal biometric system, including the DSonic Facial Recognition system. This allows for the authentication of i-Kad holders and further assists our country in improving the enforcement and monitoring of foreign workers.”

Mohamad Hanipah further underlined the importance of the i-Kad, saying the company has developed a mobile application dubbed Digital i-Kad app to expand the use of the credential and allow its users access to digital identity services.

The Datasonic official added that their innovative work on the i-Kad has earned them two important awards in the domain of cybersecurity, noting this “demonstrates our team’s unwavering commitment to innovation and adaptability in the ever-changing technological landscape.”

Indonesian smart card deal worth over $6M

Meanwhile, in July, it was reported that Datasonic won a contract from Perum Percetakan Negara Republik Indonesia (PNRI), a subsidiary of the Indonesian Ministry of State-owned Enterprises for the sale and purchase of smart cards estimated at a total of cost of 30 million Malaysian Ringgit (approximately US$6.45 million).

The contract, won by Datasonic subsidiary, PT Datasonic Teknologi Indonesia, will be for between one and three years, and it is seen as a move that will boost Datasonic’s position as a major regional player in the domain of cybersecurity and smart cards issuance, according to Business Today.

It is expected that the deal will equally play a role in enhancing bilateral relations between Malysia and Indonesia.

These developments come as Datasonic’s recently released financial projections indicate that its revenue will grow by 1.3 percent per annum in the next three years, thanks in part to the boom in the Malaysian IT industry.

It had a contract extension for the supply of auto gates and other identity deliverables for Malaysia’s Home Affairs Ministry lately.

Indonesian digital ID rollout plans detailed

Following the smart card contract announcement, Indonesia has revealed plans to launch its digital ID system among three digital services developed by government platform INA Digital by the end of September.

GovInsider reports that Indonesian Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform (PAN RB) Abdullah Azwar Anas announced essential service pubic portal INA Ku, internal government administration portal INA Gov and digital identity and single sign-on (SSO) service INA Pas.

INA Ku and INA Gov are currently offering 19 services as part of a trial, which will involve 50,000 users and collect feedback prior to a beta release with 138 services, and then the general rollout.

From that point, government agencies will be instructed to launch new applications only through the unified platform, as they continue digitalizing services.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  Datasonic  |  digital ID  |  facial recognition  |  government purchasing  |  INA Digital  |  Indonesia  |  Malaysia  |  MyKad