KUALA LUMPUR: Government departments and agencies not accepting information in the “smart’’ identity cards have been asked to get their act together for the smooth implementation of this valid document.

Home Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Aseh Che Mat said he would meet with the heads of the enforcement agencies like Road Transport Department (JPJ), Police, Immigration, National Registration Department (NRD) and the Health Ministry to iron out their execution problems.

“They are all supposed to be ready with the equipment and implement the use of the Government Multipurpose Card (GPMC) or known as the MyKad.

“The card is a legal document as it has already been gazetted on Aug 1,’’ said Aseh, who is also the chairman of the Co-ordinating Committee comprising eight agencies set up to implement the smart card.

“In our meetings almost all the problems and inconveniences were resolved and these departments agreed to the smooth implementation of the smart cards for the use of the public.’’

“We will convene a meeting as soon as possible to find out the problems encountered by the government agencies.’’

Aseh was commenting on claims by several people that the JPJ, police and banks were not accepting the card as they did not have the card readers.

Aseh said that several briefings and seminars were held to explain the procedures for the implementation.

It is learnt that certain Tabung Haji branches and banks had also rejected the card because the thumbprints were not on the GMPC.

The thumbprints have been embedded into the microchip for faster and accurate reading by computers and such devices can access the information on the smart card.

More of these reading devices were in the process of being delivered to the government agencies. The NRD received about RM267mil to implement the GPMC project.

The GMPC is being implemented in stages beginning with the Klang Valley and nationwide gradually. Currently, it is being issued throughout peninsula.

From the beginning of next year, the smart cards will be issued in East Malaysia.