The National Registration Department (NRD) is studying the possibility of having a common database with the Election Commission (EC) and parties involved in the issuing of death permits such as the police.

Newly-appointed NRD director-general Jariah Mohd Said, the first woman to be appointed NRD DG, said the move was seen as a way of handling public complaints on the presence of phantom voters each time a general election was impending.

NONEShe said the step was seen as necessary considering NRD did not destroy data of individuals should the next-of-kin or informers not report their deaths to the department.

"Through the system, it would enable NRD to update the information of the Mykad owner as soon as a death permit is issued and it will at the same time facilitate EC updating its data on the voter concerned.

"While the awareness of the people to report the death of a relative is important, NRD will also ensure information is updated all the time and monitor records of individuals more than 90 years old," she said in an interview in Putrajaya yesterday.

However, Jariah who took up the position on June 22, said actually the issue of phantom voters should not have arisen as it was not easy for a person to use another individual's Mykad.

NONECommenting on many who did not have personal identity documents especially in Sabah and Sarawak, she said NRD would see if there was a need for an NRD officer to go to the ground in the affected areas more frequently.

"At the moment, the NRD is still carrying out the task with the communities in Sabah and Sarawak where the officer visits once in two months," she said.

Other than that, she said, NRD now was processing all applications sent through its "Mydaftar" campaign which was seen as achieving its objectives.

- Bernama

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