Spoilt chips: (From left) Saravanan and Batumalai showing their MyKads while waiting to replace them at UTC Selangor in Shah Alam. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The StarSHAH ALAM: With the government set to introduce the targeted RON95 fuel subsidy scheme at the end of this month, many Malaysians have begun checking the condition of their MyKad chips to ensure they remain functional.
Queues at National Registration Department (NRD) counters have seen not only first-time applicants and routine renewals but also individuals seeking to verify whether their cards are still in working order.
R. Saravanan, 46, who works in the private sector, said he was planning to renew his card after realising the chip was no longer functional.
“I intend to renew my IC because the chip has spoilt. To participate in government programmes, it is necessary to have a valid IC, so we must proceed with the renewal.
“These initiatives like MySara make our lives easier, so the duty to ‘repair’ is on us,” he said when met here yesterday.
For retirees such as K. Batumalai, 72, the subsidies and other cash assistance schemes make maintaining a functional MyKad even more essential.
“I have retired. The government is giving help, like the RM100 MySara, so I can use this money for myself and the home. My IC chip is also spoilt, so I am here to replace it,” he explained.
Parent Zam Azri Muhamad, 46, said he took the opportunity to confirm the status of his own MyKad while visiting NRD counters to register his son’s identity card.
“I came for my son’s IC – he’s 12 years old – but at the same time I will ask officers if they can check my IC to prepare for the RON95 subsidy rollout at the end of this month,” he said.
Lecturer Lim Wee Leek, 46, shared the same sentiment.
“I use my IC regularly, so I am confident that the chip is working well. But since I am here for my son’s IC, and if I don’t need to queue too long, I intend to ask the officers if I could check whether my IC chip is still working,” he said.
Shahida Shohairy, 44, an operations executive, said she had already updated her card in anticipation of the subsidy rollout.
“I am here for my son’s MyKad. He turned 12 recently, so it’s time for him to have his own MyKad,” she said, adding that she wants to avoid last-minute issues.
Housewife Noor Ain Abu Bakar, 35, said her family has made early preparations.
“We checked our IC chips earlier to make sure they are fine. We use them for all government initiatives, like MySara, MyKasih and others, so we already know they are in good condition,” she said.
A JPN employee at the counter reassured visitors that the process was quick.
“You can just check your IC here, and I will swipe it on the device at the counter. It is literally one swipe, which takes a second,” the officer said.
For those whose cards are damaged, the repair process involves visiting the nearest JPN office, filling in a form, submitting fingerprints, getting a new photo taken, paying the replacement fee, and waiting for the new card to be processed.
Fees range from RM10 for normal wear and tear to RM50 for negligence, while replacements due to manufacturing defects are free.
Processing takes about five working days in Peninsular Malaysia and up to 10 in Sabah and Sarawak.
Applicants will be given a temporary slip while waiting and must collect their new MyKad in person.
By ARFA YUNUS
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