SINGAPORE: The unmasking of National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) numbers will be in focus as parliament sits on Tuesday (Jan 7).
There were also questions filed on telemedicine practices in the wake of provider MaNaDr Clinic getting its licence revoked, vaping as well the possibility of further safeguards around social media usage for children and teenagers.
According to the order paper released on Monday, Members of Parliament asked about the rationale behind plans to stop the partial masking of NRIC numbers, when was the decision to move away from that practice made, and whether the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) would face any sanctions for exposing NRIC numbers.
Privacy concerns were raised over ACRA’s new Bizfile portal, which was launched on Dec 9, and showed names and full NRIC numbers for free via its search function.
Previously, search results displayed masked NRIC numbers, and users had to pay for full details, including NRIC numbers and addresses.
On Dec 14, the government said it had intended to change the practice of masking NRIC numbers, but the new Bizfile portal was launched before the plans were announced to the public.
The government on Dec 19 apologised to the public for the anxiety caused over the NRIC unmasking saga, while ACRA chief executive Chia-Tern Huey Min said the incident was due to a lapse in coordination.
She added that the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) had in July “issued a circular for government agencies to cease any planned use of masked NRIC numbers in new business processes and services”.
A lapse of coordination between the staff on how this was to be implemented, however, resulted in ACRA proceeding on the misunderstanding that it should unmask NRIC numbers in the new Bizfile portal, Mrs Chia-Tern said.
More than 30 questions on the matter were submitted by MPs.
MPs Liang Eng Hwa (PAP-Holland-Bukit Timah), Dr Tan Wu Meng (PAP-Jurong) and Sharael Taha (PAP-Pasir Ris-Punggol) asked for the rationale behind the government’s intention to phase out the use of masked NRIC numbers.
Mr Liang also wanted to know whether the full availability of NRIC numbers to the public will pose security risks or individual privacy issues, and whether the private sector is aligned with the government’s latest policy position.
Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh (WP- Aljunied) asked when was the MDDI circular that sought to change the practice of masking NRIC numbers communicated to government agencies, and when did the government decide on the change and start making plans for it.
He also asked whether any whole-of-government discussions took place before and after the issuance of the circular and whether any other government agencies, aside from ACRA, had misread or misunderstood the circular.
MP Sylvia Lim (WP-Aljunied) wanted to know if sanctions will be imposed on ACRA or its officers due to the exposure of NRIC numbers via its Bizfile portal and whether the continued exemption of government agencies from the obligations of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) needs to be reviewed.
When CNA asked at a press conference on Dec 19 about the issue if action would be taken towards ACRA staff or any other agency found responsible for the lapse, Second Minister for Finance Indranee Rajah then said that it is “premature at this stage to say whether anything is going to happen to the particular staff in question”.
Several other questions that centred on the security risks and implications that come with the unmasking of NRIC numbers were filed.
MP Yip Won Heng (PAP-Yio Chu Kang) asked whether the move to unmask NRIC numbers could heighten the risk of NRIC-related scams, particularly among the elderly, while MP Christopher de Souza (PAP-Holland-Bukit Timah) asked how the government will ensure that Singaporeans are not exposed to the risks of scams and identity thefts as a result.
MP He Ting Ru (WP-Sengkang) sought data on the number of organisations investigated and fined under the PDPA for disclosing NRIC numbers, as well as the projected cost of the public re-education campaign on the appropriate use of NRIC information.
