New MyKad Issuance Reaches 275,785 As JPN Says Existing Cards Remain Valid

Malaysia issued 275,785 new-generation MyKad between the Sept. 17 launch and Oct. 20, with Johor accounting for the largest number, as the National Registration Department sought to reassure the public that replacement supply was sufficient and existing cards remained usable.

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail gave the rollout figures in Kulai on Oct. 24, Bernama reported. Johor recorded 31,392 cards, followed by Kuala Lumpur with 29,601, Selangor with 26,736, Sarawak with 25,642 and Sabah with 22,523.

The minister said the new version had 53 security features compared with 23 in the preceding design. They included a transparent window, QR code, ultraviolet features, holograms and microtext. Those are security-design changes, rather than evidence that every service using identity-card verification has completed its own technical adjustments.

Saifuddin said the department received an average of about 200,000 applications a month for different purposes, including new cards and replacements. He said people did not need to rush to replace their cards. The 275,785 rollout figure therefore should not be treated as the number of people who voluntarily exchanged an otherwise valid card solely for a new design.

JPN's public FAQ says a new-generation card does not change the holder's identification number. Personal information continues to follow the department's official records. The card remains an official identification document for government business, subject to the requirements of the agency providing the service.

The FAQ also distinguishes branches with printing facilities from those without them. For straightforward applications satisfying the requirements, it describes same-day completion at branches equipped to print the new cards and five working days where printing facilities are unavailable. These are stated processing arrangements, not a guarantee that every application involving a record problem will be completed on that timetable.

At the launch, JPN explicitly said existing MyKad remained valid and could continue to be used, according to RTM's Sept. 16 report. It urged the public to prioritise cases that actually required replacement rather than crowding offices simply to obtain the new version.

RTM reported that 40 branches had printing centres ready for same-day production. The new design included laser engraving and a chip with a higher level of encryption, according to JPN's launch explanation. The department directed people seeking procedural details to its official portal and chatbot.

A separate issue emerged in electronic Know Your Customer services. JPN said Sept. 21 that providers were updating their systems after some new-card holders encountered difficulties completing identity verification. It said it had supplied the necessary information and was engaging with agencies and providers to support the transition.

That September statement recommended that people who could not complete eKYC ask the relevant institution or service provider about alternative verification methods. It does not establish that all such difficulties remain unresolved in late October. Equally, the latest issuance total alone cannot demonstrate that every private provider has completed its update.

For a cardholder, these are different decisions: whether an identity card actually needs replacing, where an eligible application can be processed and how a particular bank or digital service verifies the resulting document. Treating them separately avoids assuming that a new national card design automatically changes an identification number or invalidates the previous card.

The rollout figures show substantial early issuance across several states. The practical message from JPN remains to use official requirements and service channels, with providers responsible for explaining alternatives when their own identity-verification process encounters a problem. There is no basis in the reviewed announcements for describing the launch as an immediate compulsory replacement of every existing MyKad.