A collection of former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's old I.Cs
One of the things that annoy me the most when filling up forms, whether for the purpose of entering a marathon, applying for a loan, going for a job interview, or registering for a service – is the long list of information that I am required to provide.
Apart from the usual writing down your identification card (IC) number, gender, religion, nationality; ironically, you are also asked to fill up redundant information like your birth date and age – and that is the major cause of annoyance!
Because clearly, most information asked can actually be obtained through just one data entry – your MyKad (IC) number. Especially now with a built-in computer chip embedded, our MyKad carries a whole host of speedy and relevant information, better than any IC’s of generations past.
Speaking of the past, curiosity sparks of what did the identity documents of Malaysian citizens actually looked like back then? So, I decided to take you on a journey back in time, and get a glimpse of history.
1948: The paper IC
Malaysia, or Malaya as it was known back then, were still under the rule of the British. In order to combat the threat of the communists, they introduced the paper identification card.
It was also known as the ‘rice card’ as the era of curfew back then meant that people needed a form of identification in order to receive any rice.
It carried a black and white photo of the holder along with a right thumbprint, some other few basic information, but carried no citizenship status.
1960: The plastic IC
Before the year 1960, all affairs involving births, deaths, citizenships, and marriages were managed under the authority of state governments. But the National Registration Department was created to take over these tasks and soon a new IC (also known as the blue IC) was introduced in August 1, 1960.
The very first plastic IC belonged to our first Prime Minister YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman which carried the number 0000001.
1990: High quality IC
Introduced in April 1990, it was also known as the ‘bunga raya (hibiscus) IC’ because it had a photo of the national flower on the background of the IC.
With improved security features, it initially came along with a black and white photo of the holder, but was replaced with colour photos in 1999.
2001: MyKad
One of the four flagship applications created by MSC Malaysia, the MyKad was introduced on September 5 2001 where it made Malaysia the first country in the world to incorporate both photo identification and fingerprint biometric data on an built-in computer chip embedded in a piece of plastic.
Other than a proof of citizenship, the MyKad may also serve amongst others as a valid driver’s license, an ATM card, an electronic purse, and a public key.