Latest statistics the foundation for accurate govt planning - Chief Statistician

Describing the Malaysian Population and Housing Census 2020 (Census 2020) exercise as an investment, he said findings from the data could be applied in planning and providing better facilities to the population.

“This census is an investment, which means we want the findings or results can be used as much as possible and the more than 100 questionnaires that we have developed are based on discussions with various ministries, agencies and stakeholders on their needs,” he said.

He said this after the Malaysian Population and Housing Census 2020 launching ceremony at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) here, which was officiated by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Also present were Senior Minister (Education) Dr Radzi Jidin and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

Census 2020, the sixth instalment since the formation of Malaysia, will be implemented in two phases involving 32.7 million Malaysian population, with the first from July 7 to Sept 30 to be conducted online (e-Census), and the second from Oct 7 to Oct 24 via face-to-face interview.

According to Mohd Uzir, who is also the Commissioner for Census 2020, 108 questionnaires will be presented via online as well as during the face-to-face interview.

“This time the questionnaires are quite special such as on the type of employment and time needed to travel from house to workplace, these (questionnaires) for the welfare (of the population) and how we can provide better facilities for all,” he clarified.

On data security, Mohd Uzir guaranteed that it could not be breached easily.

“An individual’s data is confidential, when we build this system (e-Census), we emphasise security, it is a priority. In fact, not all data of the individual is sensitive, for example their gender, the number of children, we do not request bank account number and so on,” he said.

To a question on methods to implement the task in the interiors of Sabah and Sarawak, he said, they had planned it in detail in terms of logistics to meet the residents.

Earlier, in his speech, Mohd Uzir said following the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD) had issued the Technical Brief on the Implications of COVID-19 on Census in March 2020, providing guidelines with regards to the implementation of census.

According to him, from 75 countries that have been planning to conduct the task this year, only 12 will proceed while 24 nations including the United States, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines opt to postpone or reschedule.

Apart from that, he said the modernisation of this year’s census focuses on the household listing method, the integration of administrative data, improving the rate for self-response (the use of e-Census) and operation works and field monitoring.