Malaysia issues more ID/payment smart cards
Unisys MSC has been awarded a two-year contract for US$5 million as part of the national rollout of Malaysia's 'MyKad' smartcard identity and cashless payments project.
The MyKad identity card is a government-issued multi-application smart card, with more than 19 million cards having already been issued so far. The card also uses biometric technology, allowing more than 24 million Malaysians to conduct transactions securely with the government as well as private sector companies.
Cashless payments The card's e-cash facilities enable cashless transactions: its re-loadable e-purse, branded locally as MEPS-Cash, is accepted by government agencies, restaurants, clinics, bookshops and petrol stations in designated areas. It also incorporates a Touch 'n Go feature, allowing cardholders to make instant payments for road tolls, car parking, and public transport tickets. It can also be linked to a bank account, allowing users to withdraw cash from ATMs using the card.
Government services MyKad is a key part of the country's e-government strategy, and is expected to provide a platform for a variety of future enhancements and add-ons to help drive e-government and e-commerce initiatives.
The MyKad card acts as both a national identification card and a driving license, combined into one card. Its passport features also provide citizens with more efficient exit and re-entry at Malaysian immigration checkpoints. The card's medical features instantly provide doctors and emergency medical service personnel with health records when needed.
MyKad has been developed since 1999 for the government of Malaysia by a consortium of companies including Unisys. Under the new contract, Unisys is to ensure that the MyKad application runs constantly at the Government Service Centre data centre, including preventative and corrective maintenance for hardware and software, including Unisys ES7000 and ES2045 servers.
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