BANGI, Oct 20 — The Cabinet has approved a proposal paper that government departments and agencies share data with the Malaysian Statistics Department for the preparation of statistics and compilation of socio-economic indicators.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan said only data relating to national security and information under the Personal Data and Protection Act could not be shared.
“Through the Cabinet’s decision, the Statistics Department can collect data from other government departments and agencies to ensure Malaysia is not left behind in the Big Data Open Data revolution,” he told reporters after attending the first National Statistics Day (MyStats Day) celebration at the National PERMATApintar Centre in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) here today.
He said the raw data sharing enables the Statistics Department to produce various statistics such as the roads that recorded the highest accidents and such data could be shared to help young people develop various mobile applications.
In his speech, Abdul Rahman said the statistical community, in the facing the wave of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, must constantly discuss and exchange views on methodologies and new methods in date collection and statistical preparation.
“This method not only enhances the statistical quality produced, it can even simplify the process of statistical communication more effectively according to the current needs and changes for future well-being,” he said.
The Cabinet meeting on September 27 this year agreed that the National Statistics Day be celebrated on October 20 every year.
The theme for the first celebration is “Better Data. Better Lives”. — Bernama
