Public disappointment over Ministers’ failure to address accountability in ACRA’s NRIC unmasking saga

Despite Minister for Digital Development and Information (MDDI) Josephine Teo and ACRA Chief’s explanations and apologies for the unmasking of Singaporeans’ full NRIC numbers on the Bizfile portal, many Singaporeans remain dissatisfied.

Social media sentiments reveal widespread disappointment, with netizens criticising the ministers for failing to address accountability for the lapse and condemning ACRA for attributing the issue to mere misunderstandings and coordination errors among staff.

On 19 December, Minister Teo expressed regret over the NRIC unmasking saga, acknowledging public concerns and apologising for the anxiety caused.

The incident arose from a misunderstanding of an internal directive intended to phase out masked NRIC numbers for government services.

Unfortunately, ACRA mistakenly applied this directive to its public-facing Bizfile portal, enabling full NRICs to be accessed when the new system launched on 9 December.

The error was highlighted on 12 December by former Straits Times editor Bertha Henson, triggering public outcry.

Minister Teo explained that the government sought to discontinue NRIC masking to address the misconception that NRICs are confidential, as they are meant to be unique identifiers.

However, she acknowledged the risks associated with using NRICs as both identifiers and authenticators, including identity theft and fraud, and emphasised the need to reduce their reliance for such purposes.

‘Miscommunication’

Second Minister for Finance Indranee Rajah clarified that the issue resulted from a miscommunication during implementation.

She stated that while the plan involved phased communication, the inadvertent release of full NRIC numbers accelerated public concerns.

To address the lapse, measures are being implemented, including enhanced coordination, updated guidelines on NRIC use, and rectifying the Bizfile portal.

ACRA has since disabled the “People” search feature on Bizfile and will reinstate it in the week of 23 December with neither full nor partial NRIC numbers visible. Additionally, the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) will update its guidelines to ensure proper NRIC usage across sectors.

Minister Teo further clarified that unmasking NRIC numbers does not imply their unrestricted disclosure.

For instance, NRICs may be necessary in healthcare settings but should not be used for non-essential purposes like lucky draws.

She assured the public that efforts will focus on eliminating improper uses of NRICs and strengthening safeguards to prevent similar lapses in the future.

Public Frustration Over Perceived Lack of Ministerial Accountability

Observing comments on CNA’s YouTube and Facebook posts, as well as those on The Straits Times, it is evident that many expressed disappointment over the government’s lapse.

Some criticised the ministers for seemingly shifting blame onto hardworking civil servants instead of taking full responsibility for the incident.

A YT user highlighted that the policy and its execution fall under Minister Teo’s purview, stressing that any mistakes in these areas reflect a failure of policy or execution. The user urged the minister to take responsibility and admit what went wrong rather than offering explanations.

Netizens Question ‘Misunderstanding’ Explanation

Some netizens urged for greater accountability, criticising the explanation of a “lapse in coordination” among staff as insufficient.

They argued that regardless of whether the issue stemmed from oversight or misunderstanding, it has caused significant confusion and distress.

One comment questioned who would be held accountable for the breach, emphasising that an apology alone is inadequate and calling for concrete actions and clear accountability.

Another netizen challenged the justification of a “misunderstanding,” questioning how such a serious error could be dismissed so casually.

The FB user asked why top management accepted this explanation and whether the circular itself was poorly worded.

Soh Rui Yong Questions Whether an Apology Would Be Enough

Notably, Singaporean long-distance runner Soh Rui Yong also weighed in on the debate, questioning whether an apology alone would suffice if the same mistake had been made by an opposition politician.

He asked, “Would ‘sorry’ have done the trick? Or would we have to go to the ends of the earth to charge them in court, smear them in the media, and destroy their political and personal lives?”

Concerns Raised Over NRIC Unmasking Facilitating Scammers

Some expressed concerns that the unmasking of NRIC numbers could unintentionally assist scammers in their fraudulent activities.

One netizen jokingly suggested that scammers might not have enough information to meet their targets, and the unmasking of NRICs could make their job easier.

Another netizen, agreeing with this sentiment, highlighted that for older generations, the NRIC number is often the primary form of authentication.

He expressed confusion over the government’s reasoning and warned that scammers would exploit this move, especially to target vulnerable seniors.

“Self-Inflicted Harm to Government-Public Trust”

A comment pointed out that the incident has caused ‘self-inflicted harm’ to the relationship between the government and the public.

The user emphasised how much emphasis has been placed on privacy regulations to protect personal data—such as full names, NRICs, and home addresses—yet now the government is introducing policies that undermine this protection, focusing on authentication and identification without consulting the public.