Government Issues Apology After NRIC Disclosure Error
ACRA has announced that it will soon remove National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) numbers from its Bizfile portal’s “people search” function. This change, expected in the coming week, comes after concerns arose over the exposure of personal data. Despite this update, users will still be able to purchase full reports of individuals containing their NRIC numbers, in accordance with the law.
The move follows the government’s recognition that using masked NRIC numbers gave a false sense of security regarding data protection. Minister for Digital Development and Information, Josephine Teo, emphasized the need for transparency and proper handling of such sensitive information. ACRA’s CEO, Chia-Tern Huey Min, issued an apology for the incident, acknowledging the anxiety caused by the accidental disclosure of these numbers. The error stemmed from a misunderstanding between ACRA and the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI).
