The Legislative Assembly (AL) yesterday passed a government-initiated bill allowing an e-ID certificate to be officially accepted when crossing Macau’s border checkpoints from June 30.
The bill proposed to amend Macau’s current law regulating the government’s issuing of ID cards, which was enacted in 2002, some articles of which allowing residents to display an e-ID certificate when using certain public services will take effect in advance on June 30, while the remaining articles will only take effect on December 15.
Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong Weng Chon said yesterday during a plenary session in the legislature’s hemicycle that the government will try its best to promote the amended law, and also gradually apply the e-ID certificate to a wider range of functions.
Cheong said this was to help residents get used to using e-ID certificates gradually, first by crossing border checkpoints, and later to be used in more public services such as for medical e-vouchers, adding that the new generation of smart ID cards will be issued starting on December 15.
The Identification Services Bureau (IDS) started to issue the current generation of smart ID cards in 2013.
During yesterday’s plenary session, some lawmakers asked the government if an e-ID certificate will have the same legal validity as a conventional ID card.
Cheong replied that the government was still considering whether to allow residents to use certain public services without providing a copy of a physical ID card, as well as enabling the public entities to access residents’ personal information through the Identification Services Bureau (IDS).
However, Cheong admitted that the government faces a lot of legal difficulties to achieve this, adding that it would try its best to solve these issues gradually for residents’ convenience.
Regarding personal data protection, Cheong said that the government will ensure residents’ personal data can only be accessed by authorised personnel, while maintaining the sharing of information among various public entities, adding that the government already had ways to protect personal data security.
Meanwhile, the Office for Personal Data Protection (GPDP) said in a statement yesterday that a number of online food delivery companies will be punished for failing to properly handle their customers’ personal data. According to the statement, details will be announced by the office in due course.
Secretary for Administration and Justice André Cheong Weng Chon speaks during a plenary session in the legislature’s hemicycle yesterday. – Photo courtesy of TDM
