MALAYSIA -- New applications are being considered for Malaysia's national multipurpose smart card – or MyKad, as it is known – including ATM functionality.
According to a report in the Star Online, National Registration Department (NRD) Smartcard Unit project director Wan Mohd Ariffin Wan Ismail said the new applications could be introduced in conjunction with MyKad's national rollout planned for 2003.
Ariffin said the NRD was in discussions with Malaysian Electronic Payment System Sdn Bhd (MEPS) on the implementation of an ATM feature, which would let cardholders withdraw money from their bank accounts through ATMs that are part of the MEPS network.
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) capabilities might also be introduced in MyKad to let cardholders store digital certificates and perform secure online transactions.
MyKad currently contains identification, driver's license, passport and a MEPS Cash application, which allows cardholders to load up to value onto their cards and spend it at participating stores.
The cards can also be used at immigration counters at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, where cardholders need only insert their cards and provide a thumb-print to go through the gates.
Traffic police have also been given smartcard readers that let them access driver's license details.
The NRD has issued 600,000 cards since April and the figure is expected to reach two million by next year.
Twelve Government Service Centres (where the public can apply for the card have been established, although changing over to the new card is not compulsory.
The NRD also plans to embark on an educational program to raise public awareness of MyKad and its applications. .
Ariffin said the public's reception to MyKad has been very good, but there was a need to educate them more on the various uses of the smart card.
