MyDigital ID PR campaign targeting Malaysian diversity and misconceptions hailed a success

Malaysia struggled with adoption for its national digital ID system but the latest figures suggest this is starting to ease. A successful PR campaign for the initiative also gets examined.

MyDigital ID now has 8.7 million registrations, more than halfway towards its 15 million target for 2026. Growth has been driven by integration with more than 80 government and private-sector applications, claims a senior official.

Weekly usage now exceeds 400,000 logins, showing rising public acceptance. The country aims to integrate 95 percent of public services with MyDigital ID by 2030.

“The target for [new registrations] aligns with our strategy to make MyDigital ID a daily necessity for the public, rather than just a technology platform, while supporting the digitalization agenda of both public and private services,” said MyDigital ID deputy CEO Rita Irina Abd Wahab, as reported by Bernama.

The executive is planning more partnerships to boost awareness, such as partnering with e-hailing drivers. Wahab believes this brings MyDigital ID directly to communities in a manner that is easy to understand. The system’s identity verification technology is already being integrated with mobile operators.

From January 15, MyDigital ID became mandatory for Malaysians departing the country, requiring authentication through the digital ID system when accessing the National Integrated Immigration System (MyNIISe) mobile app.

From zero to hero? MyDigital ID marketing campaign analyzed

A national digital identity system lives and dies by its adoption. To smooth the way for e-government and digital public infrastructure, national digital ID has to be used by a growing number of citizens.

For emerging systems, it can be a challenge to initiate the transition and build momentum. Governments have tried various methods: cajoling, persuading, educating. But certain narratives can take hold that, once widespread, can be tricky to shift.

This narrative had to change for MyDigital ID, an article in MarketTech APAC explores. Malaysia’s national digital ID initiative, a signature policy under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, has faced challenges in adoption. The prime minister expressed frustration at its slow progress just over 12 months ago, with only 1.8 million citizens registered in March 2025.

MyDigital ID employed PR and marketing agency Mechanikos to record Malaysians’ awareness, understanding and inclination to adopt it. The findings were stark. Only 16 percent were aware. Almost half had concerns about data privacy and over half (55 percent) did not like the interface and usability.

This limited awareness combined with misinformation and even fear meant barriers were significant. Malaysia, like other countries in Southeast Asia, has experienced a surge in scams and fraud. Its utility was not entirely obvious. All this could explain low uptake along with the uphill struggle Mechanikos faced.

The agency employed a strategy tailored to Malaysia. A diverse country of various languages and cultures, Mechanikos adapted to this linguistic and cultural specificity, honing in on content that responded to emotion, concerns and misconceptions. This extended to urban, rural and underserved communities. When worries over fraud, privacy and data rose, influencers were deployed with explainers on MyDigital ID’s Common Criteria EAL3+ security standard.

These campaigns launched over an eight-month period starting May 2024. They rolled out in strategic phases, changing in real time to reflect evolving public feedback and perception. The initial phase targeted visibility or “broad hero awareness” in PR terminology.

“Radio jingles, and outdoor billboards drove mass visibility, while high-reach digital placements across YouTube, TikTok, and Google ensured younger and digitally active audiences were consistently exposed to the message,” the piece describes.

Next came the “Tactical Education” phase. This was aimed to raise knowledge of the benefits, emphasizing safety, ease and suitability with a series of videos introducing the practical value of MyDigital ID. These were pushed across social media, YouTube and Google.

The final phase targeted conversion and community engagement. Roadshow cars and mobile kiosks rolled through cities and the countryside, stopping to connect and bring the MyDigital ID message straight into communities. Assistants facilitated sign-ups on the street, using QR-enabled digital onboarding so Malaysians could be guided directly through registration.

Geo-targeted digital advertising focused on regions where adoption was lagging. Real-time sentiment monitoring enabled rapid response to spikes in concerns, with content tailored to emerging fears or misunderstandings. Influencers played an important role by engaging with sceptical posts, building trust.

Budgets were managed fluidly, shifting midstream toward platforms and regions showing the strongest conversion potential. A measurement framework linked spending to awareness, comprehension and registrations, enabling continuous optimization.

The campaign outcome

The campaign led to a nationwide shift in perception and adoption, according to MarketTech APAC.

Awareness increased from 37.4 percent before the campaign to 47.1 percent during rollout, and reached 51.3 percent by its conclusion, representing a 37 percent rise and broad national penetration.

Understanding improved with a 16 percent increase in comprehension and a 7.5 percent decline in Malaysians who previously reported no understanding of MyDigital ID.

Sentiment changed. Conversations previously dominated by privacy concerns and distrust shifted into discussions of convenience, security and national digital progress.

This was backed up by registrations, which climbed from 80,000 in the first five months to 1.5 million after the campaign — an eighteen-fold increase.

Engagement metrics showed spikes in keywords such as “positive,” “trust,” “secure,” and “legit” across social listening channels. Users commented that campaign materials as “cute but clear,” “finally something I understand,” and “this explains it properly.”

The article suggests “simplified, culturally attuned communication” is especially effective. ROI indicators pointed to sentiment surges occurring with registration increases, the piece claims, drawing a connection between refined messaging and adoption.

By blending cultural insight, “sentiment intelligence” and nimble execution, Mechanikos transformed MyDigital ID from a low-trust initiative into a nationally recognized digital identity platform, the article said.

While starting from quite a low base, it does appear the PR and marketing efforts had an effect. There is still a lot of road to cover before MyDigital ID can be considered an unequivocal success but the tactics deployed to raise awareness and address concerns certainly offer food for thought.

Article Topics

APAC  |  digital ID  |  digital identity  |  government services  |  Malaysia  |  MyDigital ID  |  national ID