KUALA LUMPUR (Sept 17): NexG Bhd (KL:NEXG) said the newly launched MyKad is the world’s first to combine biometric QR identity verification with an optional digital eWallet.
The new MyKad, which will be produced and delivered by NexG’s wholly owned subsidiary Datasonic Technologies Sdn Bhd, is expected to be carried by more than 24 million Malaysians nationwide.
NexG said the eWallet component is an optional value-added service, being provided at no cost to the government or citizens as part of its 27-year partnership with the government.
The company said the biometric QR electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) feature allows the cardholder’s identity to be verified through a live facial match against biometric records.
Currently, the National Registration Department has the authority to conduct such verification for government purposes, with potential expansion to other agencies subject to approvals and inter-agency arrangements.
For commercial applications, NexG said approved banks, telecommunications companies and merchants could use the QR-based verification for customer onboarding and compliance requirements, reducing the need to develop their own identity verification infrastructure.
The company also said the new system could support more targeted delivery of government subsidies by enabling real-time verification of eligibility.
NexG executive chairman Datuk Ishak Ismail said in the statement the company was grateful for the government’s confidence and vision, noting that its partnership with the government began with a contract in 1999.
Applications for the new MyKad open on Thursday.