If you have seen photos this week of Malaysia's redesigned MyKad and wondered whether you need to rush to a counter, the short answer is no, not for most people. The National Registration Department (JPN) began issuing a new version of the national identity card on 17 September 2026, and it changes what the card is made of, the chip inside it, and one feature some Malaysians relied on.
JPN says the new card is built on polycarbonate and is equipped with 53 security features, many introduced in phases, among them a dynamic hologram, ultraviolet elements, microtext, a transparent window and Guilloche patterns, as Biometric Update reports. Inside sits a dual-interface chip that can be read either by contact or by a contactless tap. The card is supplied by NexG through its subsidiary Datasonic Technologies, and the rollout is being done in stages.
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JPN lists 40 branches that can print the new card on the same day, with other branches issuing it within five working days, as ID Tech Wire reported.
The QR code is not for payments
The most talked-about new element is a QR code, and it has caused the most confusion. Muhammad Asraf Sukadi, director of JPN's Identification Card Division, said the code is intended for enforcement agencies, cannot be read by an ordinary smartphone camera, and is not a payment function. Separately, NexG has said its biometric QR system can support live facial matching against biometric records, though JPN has described the current card's QR only as a restricted enforcement tool. Either way, it is something officials use, not something you scan yourself.
Touch 'n Go is gone, and the e-wallet is only a maybe
The previous MyKad could also be used like a Touch 'n Go card at supported payment points. JPN says that function has been removed from the new card. NexG has described an optional digital wallet, offered at no cost to citizens or the government, that could be added as a value-added service. Biometric Update reports that JPN has not announced whether or when it will be switched on. For now, treat the new MyKad as an identity document rather than a payment card, even though JPN says it can still authenticate eligible recipients for some government aid.
MyKad, MyDigital ID and MyNIISe are three different things
The MyKad is the physical card in your wallet. MyDigital ID is Malaysia's national digital identity app for signing in to and authorising government services. MyNIISe is the integrated immigration system being rolled out at the border. The new MyKad is a separate thing from both.
What you should actually do
For most people, nothing urgent. Undamaged MyKads remain valid and the rollout is staged rather than a nationwide swap, though JPN has said holders of older cards, such as an earlier plastic identity card or a MyKad without a ghost photo, should replace theirs. Most others will receive the new design the next time they replace a lost or damaged card, apply for the first time, or fall under JPN's replacement rules. It is worth keeping your existing card until the new one is in your hand. If you leaned on the old card's Touch 'n Go balance at tolls or on public transport, keep a separate card or e-wallet for that, because the new MyKad will not carry it.
Cover photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash. Chart by ProductNation.
