During a parliamentary session on Jan 8, opposition MPs raised pressing questions regarding the unmasking of National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) numbers on the Bizfile portal managed by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA). The issue involved full NRIC numbers being displayed on the portal from Dec 9 to Dec 13, which sparked public concern over data security.
Eight opposition MPs, including members from the Workers’ Party (WP) and Progress Singapore Party (PSP), sought clarifications from the Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo and Second Minister for Finance Indranee Rajah, following their ministerial statements on the matter.
One of the main questions, posed by Leader of the Opposition Pritam Singh, was why the incident wasn’t brought to parliament earlier. He noted that previous public consultations in 2022 and 2024 had already raised concerns about safeguarding NRIC numbers, emphasizing the significant public interest in the issue. In response, Ms. Indranee stated that the review panel would investigate this further, but explained that a misunderstanding of internal policies had contributed to the lapse.
The internal government circular that ACRA referenced was another focal point of the debate. MP Sylvia Lim sought more details about the nature of clarifications ACRA received from the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (MDDI) regarding the circular, and questioned whether the review panel would share its findings with the public. Ms. Indranee clarified that the misunderstanding stemmed from a lack of clarity and coordination, but refrained from elaborating further, deferring to the review panel's ongoing investigation.
Non-Constituency MP Leong Mun Wai inquired whether political officeholders were involved in approving or directing the circular’s instructions, expressing concern that civil servants might have been unfairly implicated. Ms. Indranee assured the house that no political officeholders were involved in drafting or approving the circular, but urged MPs to await the review’s findings.
On a broader note, MPs Gerald Giam and Sylvia Lim questioned the continued reliance on NRIC numbers as authenticators by organizations, including government agencies and banks. They suggested legal prohibitions to enforce data security best practices. Responding, Minister Josephine Teo agreed on the risks but noted that changes in private sector practices would require further consultation. She highlighted the importance of organizations adopting safer authentication methods, emphasizing the need for heightened public awareness of data security.
Ms. Lim also questioned whether the digital NRIC card could replace physical cards for authentication, particularly at banks. Mrs. Teo confirmed that the digital NRIC card, which includes a photograph, is considered equivalent to the physical card for authentication purposes.
MP Dennis Tan pressed the government on whether compensation or remedies would be provided to individuals whose data may have been accessed by malicious actors during the four days the Bizfile portal displayed unmasked NRIC numbers. Ms. Indranee acknowledged the difficulty of identifying whose data might have been compromised but reiterated that individuals who submit personal information to ACRA are aware that such data is publicly accessible.
This incident has reignited concerns about data privacy and government accountability in managing sensitive information. The opposition MPs called for more transparency, greater safeguards, and a thorough review to ensure similar lapses do not occur in the future.
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