Why NRIC is no longer ‘Confidential’?
December 19th, 2024 | 
Author: 
Why did PDPC flip flop on the importance of Confidentiality on NRIC? In 2018, it stressed the utmost importance of keeping NRIC confidential and protected but now it says NRIC is just an "unique identifier like name" that doesn't need protection?
It is either they were talking nonsense back then or talking nonsense right now.
Singaporeans are used to treat NRIC as a very private data because we know it is an important key to many things in life. Names alone, is NOT like NRIC as many people can share the same name.
NRIC when used together with other personal private data like bank accounts, birth dates, phone numbers etc can be an effective authentication for individual's identity.
It is only when NRIC becomes OPEN secret to the whole world together with some of these corresponding personal data will make these authentication invalid and unsafe to identity thefts.
I believe it's due to the MASSIVE leaks by other organizations which made this unique identifier NRIC totally invalidated and the most glaring incident in the past decade are the 1.5m data leaks by Singhealth and subsequently, the leaks from SingTel.
These leaks are of massive scale which not only include NRIC and names but also included addresses, date of birth, phone numbers etc.
Thus, when the leaks from Singhealth happened, all banks and financial institutions were informed and they scrambled to put up new authentication methods for their system.
Singhealth wasn't really "punished" apart from some sacking and demotion carried out internally. But the spillover impact on private sector was huge and costly.
I believe not only private institutions were affected, such leaks also subject Singaporeans to "effective convincing scams and frauds" over the years. This made us the "number one scammed city" in the world!
The issue here is PAP GOV didn't want to come clean on the fundamental reasons why they have to declare NRIC no longer a confidential personal data worth protecting... Well because there was a massive leak in the place which compromised and made NRIC totally invalid for personal authentication of Real identity. It means that identity thefts will be rampant even if NRIC is the unique identifier of individuals.
They will start using finger prints and face recognition technology but if one day, there is another huge massive leak of such data, these will become invalidated as well with AI!
The PAP Gov has to face reality. Putting stringent PDPA requirements on private entities while its own government agencies lax screw ups will only destroy our authentication system in Singapore and it will be extremely costly to private sectors.
All these nonsensical excuses put up by their "experts" and faceless spokespersons will not convince anyone.
Even if NRIC is no longer valid as authentication data, it doesn't mean the gov should reveal our private data freely. There are huge implications in doing so.
Goh Meng Seng
Posted in 
人民一張口.官人上下兩張口，
官員的話不可靠，變化無常﹔
當官的兩張口，上說無理，下說也是無理.
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We made a mistake, but it was not serious.
Hosayleow.
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GMS: The issue here is PAP GOV didn’t want to come clean on the fundamental reasons why they have to declare NRIC no longer a confidential personal data worth protecting…
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Dear GMS,
Why not you answer this: Why Democracy Papa Joe Biden didn’t want to come clean on the fundamental reasons why he PARDONED his own son Hunter Biden crime ?
Freedom, Democracy, Human Rights.
Please answer and don’t run away like coward ERIC, VFC etc etc.
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Admitting their mistakes was never a strength of the MIW. They rather obfuscate, wayang and lead us on a wild goose chase. The thing that really galls me is the cavalier attitude when the news broke on ACRA allowing disclosure of our NRICs. “Oh, it is just an identifier but don’t use it as a password or system ID, blah, blah, blah” by MDDI.
It reminds me of those equally vexing excuses like “It’s an honest mistake”, “Once in 50 years”, “We have a no-blame culture” and so on. It is so patronizing and insulting. It reveals that these leaders are so out-of-touch with no humility or humanity for the people they lead.
Another thing that I am worried is the phenomena of top civil servants who are only concerned about their promotions, bonuses and KPIs. Trying to shine and out-do their counterparts in other agencies is probably the reason why ACRA jumped the gun and implemented the changes before getting the go ahead from the relevant authority. The person-in-charge probably was hoping to show how “on-the-ball and ready-to-go” ACRA’s IT department was. Whoever in charge wanted to exceed their KPIs but they forgot that they are serving the public and not themselves.
If top civil servants are self-serving (e.g. a deputy perm-sec who tried to squeeze more out of existing headcount till someone had to leave Singpass) and eager to exceed their KPIs that is fine; provided they are running private organizations. But when they are serving the public, the colossal losses from mistakes like loss of NRICs and personal information due to security bleaches cannot be measured. Example, the hacking of Singpass accounts in 2014.
How did we end up with a civil service that is self-serving? It all started when we allow this country’s leaders become self-serving by paying the highest salaries in the world for public servants. Not holding them accountable for their mistakes, accepting their ridiculous excuses and sub-standard performances. We really screwed ourselves.
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GMS: The PAP Gov has to face reality. Putting stringent PDPA requirements on private entities while its own government agencies lax screw ups will only destroy our authentication system in Singapore and it will be extremely costly to private sectors.
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Ah yes, I agreed with GMS that our great PAP Gov has to face reality.
I agreed You cannot demand stringent requirements on others while you yourselves lax. (its own government agencies lax). “严以待人，宽以待己”意思是宽容自己，不严格要求自己，却严格要求他人,用于讽刺某些嘴上一套高标准，自己并不行，却用来要求别人的人。
So can GMS explain why yourselves and Pro Western/U$ Democracy supporters, DARE NOT criticize and demand stringent Democracy requirements from your America In God We Tru$t Papa PARDON Son Democracy?
1) https://youtu.be/T5ei9KmLQ5s
2) https://youtu.be/ZFK0jCozq2o&t=2s
Goh Meng Seng/Pro Western/U$ Democracy camp please answer.
‘They criminalize us’: how felony charges are weaponized against pipeline protesters
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/feb/10/felony-charges-pipeline-protesters-line-3
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Alamak – don;t you see? Gahmen selling your personal data – including NRIC. They do not care if your identity kenna stolen or you scammed. Not their problem. You are just another way for them to make money.
Like Big Pharma scam – jab jab jab and then die die die. Same thing.
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Becos scammer can easily get ic number.
So no big deal asking gov why ic number got leaked.
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“The first quality of politicians is courage “!
The minister is courageous, gets things straightened up and moves on.
Nice, we have the right people in the right place to do the right things.
Trublu sinkis are behind you, Majullah, Singapore!
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A lot of your supporters Jiak Sai Kow’
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Well,soon no need to bother Pink or Blue IC.
All same.
Even if gahmen up foreigners intake,no issue.
Sgs better use brains.
Vote like singa not like monkeys.2
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After crimes have been committed, laws are changed and backdated so that no crimes have been committed.
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Yes, far far behind.
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PAP GOV IN CRISIS RE NRIC CONFIDENTIALITY!
“The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has called for the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) to release the circular that allegedly led to the recent unmasking of full NRIC numbers on ACRA’s Bizfile portal.
In a statement released on 21 December 2024, the SDP underscored the serious legal and security implications of the incident, which it described as a significant lapse in government accountability.”
https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2024/12/21/singapore-democratic-party-calls-on-mddi-to-release-circular-linked-to-nric-debacle/
SDP: release the circular for all to read
PPP: come clean on the fundamental reasons why they have to declare NRIC no longer a confidential personal data worth protecting
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You talking about In God We Tru$t America Joe Biden PARDON his son Hunter Biden ?
Biden issues “Full & Unconditional Pardon” for Son Hunter
https://youtu.be/M4bJYlyK6ms
Trump responds to Biden pardoning his son, Hunter
https://youtu.be/ZvAth0bni08&t=32s
Hunter Biden pardon: ‘Do you owe an apology to Democracy, Rule Based Order?’
https://youtu.be/UnZTQQlmz2w
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Correct. The minister is courageous to apologise for the mistake.
“Good ministers are not just those who kiss babies”: Lee Kuan Yew
https://youtu.be/LBsgHofRZk8
Compare to Opposition who ran away from my questions. Oppositions are Coward.
LKY: They are cowards.
https://youtu.be/CQC3x17JjYs
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Monkeys? Do you mean ROC ?
民主进步党的好笑民主。Democratic Progressive Party laughable democratic.
https://youtu.be/O3tdLgLasm8
假行民主之名骗选票。 Pretend to pursue Democracy to trick voter’s vote.
https://youtu.be/ZFK0jCozq2o&t=2s
You must be charged for spreading fake news.
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Singapore Government needs Elon Musk type to head independent Department of Government Efficiency to clean up waste and mismanagement by PAP government.
Cut their blotted salary and pork spending.
So our cost of living will be under control.
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In fact, it is not a mistake. It is the right step forward.
Hosayleow. More bonuses for everyone.
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What crimes? (hahahahaha)
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SDP: release the circular for all to read
PPP: come clean on the fundamental reasons why they have to declare NRIC no longer a confidential personal data worth protecting
RDU: call for accountability over the lapse
PV: call for a Commission of Inquiry to be initiated by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam into the matter.
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You can see the hypocrisy of these people. They will flip flop and change their positions to their advantages. Just like employers in SG.
theindependent.sg/singapore-employers-face-talent-crisis-66-fear-skill-shortage-38-battle-for-top-talent-in-2025/
Even in the midst of an economic slowdown with many locals struggling to find employment, they will shout how SG is facing a skill and talent shortage; when in truth, they just want the MIW to open the floodgates again once the GE is over in 2025. Why aren’t employers training locals to fill those jobs they say have a skill/talent shortage? Because it is costly to train and they want the easy way out. They enjoyed the good infrastructure, regulatory and legal frameworks in SG but they don’t want the taxpayers that contribute all these to enjoy anything.
Why did the MIW close the floodgates? Because they are fearful of losing their cushy and high paying jobs. But once GE 2025 is over, they will parrot the same line as these employers to the daft ones and open the floodgates even wider. In the end, the employers get their cheap labour. The MIW get to entice new citizens from newly minted PRs and the daft ones get zilch. Actually, the daft ones do get something; more competition for jobs, COEs, housing, food and so on.
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@ 官字两张口
在野党成员口更多，七嘴八舌喋喋不休！
不是吗？
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If the Ministers themselves still keep their NRIC numbers confidential, you probably should too.
Of all people, PDPC should know better.
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Cook Islands to declare independence.
Ubin Island and Sentasa Island will follow.
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In the article you posted. it says
“Other challenges facing employers include the inability to meet salary expectations (36%), attracting enough applicants (21%), and lacking the internal capabilities to acquire talent effectively (19%).”
Inability to meet salary expectations = don’t want to pay well. So settle for cheap FTs.
Also the article mentioned HR companies. Long ago, I was temping and the HR agency recommended us to a big company. Both of us temps handled the invoices. We saw the HR company bill our employer $12 an hour for our services while HR only pays us $5 an hour. So they get $7/hr for doing nothing except refer us to the company and deposit pay into our accounts. So we left to temp without the HR.
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Go back primary school and learn some maths.
No wonder old Lee said voters are idiots.
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For the longest time both the MIW and their business cronies had been collaborating to scam the daft ones. Every time someone suggested a minimum wage, both groups will jump.
The MIW will shoot down the proposal while the business cronies sing along about dire consequences to our competitiveness. Both will extort that the daft ones need to be more competitive instead. End up the daft ones keep fighting over themselves while the culprits entertain themselves.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neijuan
Today, SG youths are experiencing the same phenomenon as China’s youth: involution or neijuan. At least, the Chinese are smart enough to recognize this problem. Singaporeans are still clueless!
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Yes, Spore wants to have a ready workforce that will jump at a command, like the army. So you do hear a lot of rhetoric on how a model employee should be. That is why they tell people not to be choosy and take the crappy jobs with crappy pay that most shun. It’s psychological warfare. But you do get dafts parroting what the above had said.
Truth is , Spore whether choosing an employee or tender, will always choose the cheapest. Just like shoppers. Because they stand to gain the most.
In the 90s, job hopping was rife. People did not buy into that spiel about loyalty. Most people loyal to cash only. So people came and went if there was a better offer.
The private sector accepted that it is just a contract between two parties. But some employers like to play the moral card and bad mouth employees who have left.
Over time, they realized locals can just leave if they are dissatisfied. Now they have FTs who are willing to accept lower pay and poor working conditions. Now and then, there are public protests about pay and living conditions from guest workers.
Problem doesn’t stop there, hawkers and shop tenures are getting shorter. There are many empty shops/hawker/coffeeshop stalls. They up rentals without considering other people also need to make profits.
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@Sporeans R Free Riders
Please ask your four legged friends not be asses and talk loudly on public transport and in public.
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The daft ones need to understand that one individual business owner cannot go against the flow. If the owner tries to pay 1st world wages to his employees while his competitors hire FTs and undercut him; not only will the owner lose profits but potentially the entire business.
The rightful protector or guardian who is vested with the authority and duty to safeguard the citizens’ interests and rights to dignified employment, living wages and affordable cost of living is the government of the day. Sadly, the ruling party chose to safeguard their interests over those of the citizens.
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哇塞！
看谁在说话！
真的令人害怕！
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Just couple of questions:
1. Did Dr Chee pay 1st world wages to his employees?
2. Did Pritam Singh/Goh Meng Seng/Lim Tean pay 1st world wages to their Party employees?
3. Did Opposition supporters pay 1st world wages to their maids?
Ang Mo said lead by example.
https://youtu.be/utB0sMrc5B8
Can all Opposition lead by example, talk the talk and walk the walk?
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70% carte blanche, blank cheque…
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Question is:
If you were Biden, would you have done the same?
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