Malaysia to launch digital identity system to track visitors

Initiative aimed at strengthening border security, curbing corruption at entry points

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KUALA LUMPUR - A foreign digital identity (FDID) system comprising fingerprints, iris scans and facial recognition data of foreign visitors is set to be introduced, says Malaysia’s Home Ministry.

The ministry said the FDID will serve as the sole digital identity for foreign visitors and will be integrated with the centralised biometrics system.

“Each visitor will have a unique official record, making it difficult to falsify or manipulate. This system also allows the entry and exit of foreign nationals to be tracked effectively,” the ministry said in a written parliamentary reply on Oct 8.

The FDID is among the technological advancements that have been and are being developed by the ministry to reduce human intervention during screenings at Malaysia’s entry points.

This comes on the back of various arrests made in connection with counter-setting activities at Malaysia’s borders.

Counter setting refers to the practice of foreigners entering the country without proper documents through designated and predetermined lanes at entry points.