People, stand up and be counted, please!
THE first phase of the 2020 Census is being implemented though the e-Census online. It started on July 7 and will end on Sept 30. The second phase, using the face-to-face interview method, will be from Oct 7 to 24 and will be mainly for those in rural areas without Internet access.
The census is a national survey conducted every 10 years by the government to determine the number of people living in the country, including foreigners. It will identify the size, distribution, composition and socioeconomic characteristics of the entire population and collect housing-related data.
Such data is used for planning and development purposes, for instance in determining the amount of budget allocation for hospitals, roads, schools and institutions of higher learning, housing, and social programmes, just to name a few. Local authorities such as Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) will be able to use such information to make decisions on meeting the needs of their community.
Please be mindful that the last census was conducted in 2010 and since then, there have been major changes in the economy, including the number of households and foreigners in the country in the last 10 years.
Regrettably, the overall response to filling in the e-Census so far has been lukewarm and below expectations. The Chief Statistician of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Mohd Uzir Mahidin, lamented that the response from urbanites has been low despite urban and semi-urban areas having good Internet connections (“Census vital for policymaking”, The Star, Sept 17; online at bit.ly/star_census).
Malaysians are fond of doing things at the last minute. Please don’t wait until the 11th hour to participate in this very important exercise. You might regret it.
When a disproportionate number of people try to log on to the website at the same time, the system may not be able to take it and a crash due to the heavy load is most likely. To avoid feeling frustrated, please do yourself a favour by filling in the online forms as soon as possible.
Let’s play our small part in nation-building by providing the necessary information required. Please stand up and be counted, as the information collected will go a long way towards ensuring that our expanding society gets to enjoy necessary facilities and social services. It is also a demonstration of love for our country – the only country I know.
I hear many Malaysians ask “Do I really have to complete the census forms? Yes. Please be aware that the Census Act 1960 (revised 1969) makes it compulsory for all members of the public to participate by answering all the census questions. It is everyone’s responsibility to participate in the survey.