Maldives’ govt promises control over data through digital ID after party membership scandal

The Maldives’s national digital identity will allow citizens to be notified whenever a government agency or other authority gains access to their data, the country’s Homeland Security Minister has promised following a scandal involving unauthorized use of personal data for political party registrations.

The eFaas digital ID will be designed to protect personal data, Security Minister Ali Ihsan said last Friday.

“Citizens will be able to see if any agency, private sector organization, or service provider accesses their data,” he says. “Consent will be required before they can proceed, and individuals will also be able to track who accessed their personal information and for what reason.”

The announcement from the Maldives’ government follows the Elections Commission’s discovery that the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) party has been fraudulently adding new members. The Homeland Ministry is facing accusations for using ID card information from the Department of National Registration to add individuals to the PNC party member list without their knowledge.

Party membership enrollments are currently still completed through a paper-based registration process. Images have been circulated on social media showing people filling out PNC membership forms at the Department of National Registration, sparking accusations that ID cards were used without consent.

Police are currently investigating the accusations with opposition parties filing cases against the ruling PNC. Security Minister Ihsan has denied involvement in the scandal.

The digital ID system will allow the Election Commission to introduce a new system that requires identity verification for political party registrations. The agency is close to completing the system on eFaas, according to Atoll Times.

The eFass has been running since 2012 with the South Asian country launching a digital ID app in 2023. The system offers access to documents such as  ID cards, driver’s licenses and marriage certificates. The facial recognition for the digital ID is provided by Regula.

In January, the Maldives’ President Mohamed Muizzu visited Estonia to discuss digitalization in public services, pledging more cooperation between the two states on public and private sector innovation.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  data privacy  |  data protection  |  digital identity  |  Estonia  |  identity management  |  Maldives