80% of pre-pay users yet to register, papers say

Barely 20% of Malaysia’s pre-paid mobile users have registered their subscriptions ahead of the year-end deadline, according to local newspaper the Business Times. Last year the government issued a decree providing for the registration of all pre-paid mobile phone users in the interests of national security. After a three-month trial in Penang and Malacca, the ruling was extended to the rest of the country and all pre-paid subscribers are required to register their details with their service provider by 15 December 2006, failing which their numbers will be suspended. They will then be given 14 days to register or risk having their lines terminated. The late rush for registration is expected to cause havoc at the customer service departments of the country’s three operators Maxis, Celcom and DiGi, whilst their accounts could be hit hard by subscriber suspensions and terminations.