KUALA LUMPUR (July 9): Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said Datasonic Technologies Sdn Bhd, wholly owned by NexG Bhd (KL:NEXG), currently holds about RM2.74 billion worth of active contracts with the ministry.

The contracts cover the maintenance of the National Registration Department's (JPN) card production centre, supply of blank MyKad, MyTentera and MyPoCA cards, printing and delivery of security documents, supply of Malaysian international passports (PMA) for the Immigration Department (JIM), and foreign worker identity cards (i-KAD), Saifuddin said in a written parliamentary reply on Wednesday (July 8).

The largest contract, worth RM1.73 billion, involves the supply of Malaysian international passports to JIM from June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2032.

Another RM732.72 million contract covers the supply of MyKad, MyTentera and MyPoCA cards and consumables for JPN over the same six-year period.

The remaining contracts include a RM111.84 million contract for maintenance services at JPN's card production centre from June 1, 2021 to Jan 31, 2027; a RM22.83 million eight-month extension from May 1 to Dec 31, 2026 for the design, printing, supply and delivery of various JPN security documents; and a RM140 million contract for the supply of foreign worker identity cards (i-KAD) to JIM from Nov 1, 2022 to April 30, 2027.

Saifuddin was responding to Puchong member of Parliament Yeo Bee Yin, who asked the Home Ministry to disclose details of NexG active security document contracts and explain its monitoring mechanisms to ensure supply stability and protect citizens' sensitive data.

Earlier this year, NexG was involved in a boardroom dispute after a group of shareholders challenged the company's leadership, with the company alleging that the move was linked to an attempted takeover by parties it described as a "corporate mafia".

The dispute saw Datuk Ishak Ismail emerge as a substantial shareholder, with an indirect stake of 23.717% through his holdings in Raya Aviations Holdings Sdn Bhd and his daughter Siti Nur Aishah Ishak.

Notably, NexG proposed last month to change its name back to Datasonic Group Bhd, just over a year after rebranding itself from Datasonic.

The proposed name change has been reserved with Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) until Nov 4, 2026, and remains subject to shareholder approval at a forthcoming AGM.

Meanwhile, Saifuddin said the ministry continuously monitors the supply of security documents through monthly stock forecasting by JPN and JIM to ensure uninterrupted services.

"In the event of supply chain disruptions, contingency plans will be activated immediately to avoid affecting public service delivery," he said.

Saifuddin also stressed that all MyKad databases and sensitive information are the exclusive property of the Malaysian government and are hosted entirely at high-security government data centres.

Companies awarded contracts are required to undergo security vetting by the Chief Government Security Office (CGSO) to ensure strict compliance with security requirements and minimise the risk of data leaks or misuse of personal information, he added.

For Malaysian international passports, Saifuddin said passport holder information is protected through physical and electronic security features that comply with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.

He said passport biodata pages incorporate two layers of security printing, while data stored in the electronic chip is encoded solely by the Immigration Department through controlled and secure procedures to safeguard the integrity and confidentiality of passport holders' information.

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