tl;dr
Southeast Asian countries are advancing digital identity systems, with the Philippines and Singapore leading globally. Malaysia aims to digitalize 95% of government services by 2030 through its MyDigital ID platform, focusing on public trust and voluntary adoption despite low registration rates. Mal...
Southeast Asian countries are emerging as global leaders in digital identity, with the Philippines and Singapore boasting some of the most advanced systems worldwide. Meanwhile, Malaysia and Indonesia are accelerating their efforts to catch up. Malaysia aims to digitalize 95% of all government services by 2030, while Indonesia plans to award six contracts linked to its digital ID project by the end of next year.
Malaysia’s ambitious 13th Malaysian Plan (13MP) underscores its goal to become a high-income country by 2030, with MyDigital ID—its single sign-on digital identity platform launched in 2023—at the core. Currently integrated into 45 public and private sector platforms, the government aims to expand MyDigital ID services while emphasizing public trust as a priority. Despite the focus on easy access, only about 10% of adults have registered since launch, prompting proposals to make MyDigital ID usage mandatory for government services. This move, however, has faced criticism from industry leaders who advocate for trust and voluntary adoption over enforcement.
Experts like Dr. Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin of the National Cyber Security Agency emphasize that the system’s success relies on transparency and building confidence, not compulsion. Reinforcing trust, Malaysia has assured citizens that biometric data like fingerprints and facial scans will not be stored, and it plans to establish an independent National Data Commission to oversee data governance and protect privacy.
In Indonesia, the government is set to issue up to six contracts under its digital ID initiative titled Inclusive Service Delivery and Digital Transformation. The first contract, a $12 million automated biometric identification backup system, will begin prequalification soon and be awarded by February. Additional contracts for document archiving and software for the national Certificate Authority will follow, with a planned $5.5 million budget for the latter. These new contracts revitalize Indonesia’s digital ID efforts after cancellations stemming from World Bank concerns about procurement irregularities halted progress earlier this year.
The World Bank’s role in ensuring transparent procurement is critical, as evidenced by past cases such as its withdrawal from a digital ID project in the DR Congo due to noncompetitive tendering and subsequent exposure of vastly overpriced contracts. Southeast Asia’s digital identity landscape illustrates both the promise and challenges of integrating secure, trusted digital services at national scales, with public trust emerging as a decisive factor in success.