Home Minister Presents National Registration Bill 2025 To Parliament Expanding Biometric Data Powers

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The National Registration (Amendment) Bill 2025 was tabled for the first time at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said. — Bernama picKUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 — The National Registration (Amendment) Bill 2025 was tabled for the first time at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said.
The bill will also be tabled for the second and third reading during this Parliament session.
It aims to amend the National Registration Act 1959 (Act 78), including amending Section 2 to include a new definition of biometric data under Clause 2 and Subsection 6(2) of the same act are to enhance the Minister’s power to make regulations under Clause 3.
Subclause 3(a) will seek to replace paragraph 6(2)(d) of Act 78 to empower the Minister to make regulations to provide for the collection and recording of biometric data and the conditions that may be imposed on the collection and recording of biometric data, while Subclause 3(b) will seek to amend paragraph 6(2)(e) of Act 78 to empower the Minister to make regulations to provide for controls on the use and information in identity cards.
Also, Subclause 3(c) will seek to delete paragraph 6(2)(j) of Act 78 which gives the Minister the power to prescribe the maximum charge for taking photographs since no charge is imposed for taking photographs.
The amendment will also insert a new section 6A into Act 78 to give the Minister the power, with the approval of the public prosecutor, to make regulations to prescribe the offences that can be compounded and the methods and procedures for compounding such offences.
The clause also seeks to give the director-general the power to compound offences that can be compounded with the written consent of the public prosecutor. — Bernama

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