Maldives makes strides in digital ID as Taiwan faces scrutiny

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Legislators in the Maldives are making strides toward enacting a digital ID legislation, with the most recent development being the initiation of a public consultation.

Lawmakers are seeking public comments on the draft of the nation’s Digital Identity Bill, which is designed to improve residents’ identification by establishing the Maldives Digital Identity System (MDIDS).

A community reading of the incoming legislation identifies five key objectives, the first of which is the provision of a system that allows residents to identify themselves in both in-person and online transactions.

Furthermore, the system will prioritize privacy and data security while maintaining the economic benefits flowing from digital IDs. There are plans by authorities to use MDIDS as the foundation for a digital payment system akin to India’s Unified Payment Interface (UPI).

The Maldives is also eyeing the possibility of using the digital ID legislation to crack down on illegal migrants flooding the tiny island nation.

Ahead of the legislative hurdles, members of the public are urged to submit written comments on the first draft of the bill. The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology (MoHST) will lead the consultation exercise and release all comments to the public.

However, the MoHST will recognize requests for confidentiality provided they are justifiable, but a non-confidential version must be attached to the submission.

“The MoHST seeks comments from government stakeholders, the business community, and the general public on the draft Digital Identity Bill,” read the statement. “All comments should be supported as much as possible by detailed explanations and must identify the sources that the respondent is relying on.”

The Maldives is keen on catching up to regional first-movers in digitization and exploring the possibilities of partnerships. Recently, it partnered with Dubai-based MBS Global to build an $8.8 billion blockchain hub in an attempt to diversify its economy from tourism and fishing.

The country has also inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Estonia to explore emerging technology use cases for public services. Despite the forward-thinking initiatives, authorities are clamping down hard against illegal operators of digital currency services and other bad actors within their borders.

Taiwan’s digital ID system under fire

The lawmaker revealed that bad actors are using the porous security system in the digital ID system for criminal purposes. Up to four times as many flagged bank accounts were opened using Natural Person Certificates over other means of identification, said Ju in a statement.

Ju based his argument on the latest data from the Taiwanese Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC). He added that scammers are gaining access to innocent residents’ personal details and using the digital ID system to open a wave of bank accounts for criminal activities.

Commercial banks are striking back, with up to 17 institutions halting the use of digital IDs for identification purposes. Ju hints that more financial institutions are poised to pause the use of the Natural Person Certificate system, defeating the entire purpose of their creation in the first place.

The lawmaker launched a tirade against the government over the handling of the security breaches in the digital ID system. He terms the government’s approach as “absurd,” noting that a public advisory urging individuals to set limits on transfers and asking banks to suspend withdrawals on inactive accounts is “untrustworthy.”

Ju extends his criticism to the Ministry of Digital Affairs, the National Police Agency, and the Ministry of Interior for failing to take decisive action against bad actors. He recommends new security measures to combat the rising tide of bad actors so the government can gain the waning public trust.

“Government agencies should stop promising lots and delivering little, and instead do their jobs, which is to make Taiwan a haven for digital technology developers, not scammers,” said Ju.

Despite the criticisms of its digital ID system, Taiwan is marching on to introduce a wave of digital products for its residents. At the top of the list is a national digital wallet to be launched before the end of 2025 that will hold all citizens’ personal information.

The country is also rushing to plug the holes in its anti-money laundering (AML) rules, aligning itself with international standards. On the regulatory side of things, Taiwan has unveiled new digital asset rules and an artificial intelligence (AI) draft bill designed to improve economic gains.

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