Unveiling the Delayed NRIC Unmasking Issue: Opposition MPs Question Parliament’s Timing
SINGAPORE: Opposition Members of Parliament raised concerns regarding the delayed discussion of the National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) unmasking issue in parliament on Wednesday (Jan 8). Eight opposition MPs, including six from the Workers’ Party (WP) and two from the Progress Singapore Party (PSP), sought clarifications from Digital Development and Information Minister Josephine Teo and Second Minister for Finance Indranee Rajah following their ministerial statements on the issue.
WHY WASN’T THE ISSUE BROUGHT TO PARLIAMENT EARLIER
Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh (WP-Aljunied) questioned why the matter of unmasking NRIC numbers was not brought to parliament earlier, considering previous feedback about the issue. He emphasized the significant public concern surrounding the ease with which NRIC numbers were unmasked despite prior feedback from public consultation exercises conducted by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). In response, Ms Indranee stated that the matter would be further examined by a review panel to understand the sequence of events leading to the misunderstanding.
WHAT DIDN’T ACRA UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE INTERNAL GOVERNMENT CIRCULAR
Several opposition MPs inquired about the internal government circular linked to the ACRA Bizfile incident that led to the unmasking of NRIC numbers. MP Sylvia Lim (WP-Aljunied) highlighted the lack of clarity surrounding the policy intent and coordination lapses within ACRA. Ms Indranee acknowledged the need for a detailed review by the panel to shed light on the misunderstanding and declined to provide further details until the investigation is complete.
PROHIBITING NRIC NUMBERS AS AUTHENTICATORS
MP Gerald Giam (WP-Aljunied) raised concerns about organizations still using NRIC numbers as default passwords and urged the government to consider legally prohibiting their use as authenticators. Mrs. Teo emphasized the importance of data security and encouraged organizations to reconsider their authentication methods, regardless of legal mandates. Additionally, MP Lim shared her personal experience with banks requiring physical NRIC cards for authentication, proposing the use of digital NRIC cards instead, which Mrs. Teo confirmed as an acceptable alternative.
COMPENSATION FOR AFFECTED PARTIES
MP Dennis Tan (WP-Hougang) questioned the government’s readiness to compensate individuals whose NRIC numbers were accessed for scams through ACRA’s new Bizfile portal. Ms. Indranee acknowledged the challenges in identifying affected individuals and stressed the importance of understanding the public availability of information shared with ACRA.