Tap your MyKad at a BUDI95 pump and the terminal checks one thing before it lets you buy RON95 at RM1.99: your PADU profile. Apply for STR and the income you declare gets quietly matched against PADU too. In 2026, this database that used to feel optional now quietly gates two of Malaysia's biggest subsidy programmes, so if you haven't registered, checked, or updated your PADU details in a while, it's worth ten minutes of your time. Here's exactly how to do it online, jom.
Why PADU Matters More in 2026 Than When It Launched
PADU, short for Pangkalan Data Utama (Central Database Hub), went live on 2 January 2024, pulling household income, employment, property and existing-aid records from more than 200 government agencies into a single profile per citizen. By mid-2025, the system had already integrated over 30.4 million citizen and permanent-resident profiles.
What changed since launch is how much now rides on that profile. BUDI95, the targeted RON95 subsidy, checks your MyKad against PADU in real time at the pump to confirm you're not in the T15 (wealthiest 15%) group excluded from the subsidised rate — and as of early August 2026, more than 14.2 million of the 16.7 million eligible people had already claimed it. STR (Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah) applications get cross-checked against PADU declarations too, and Budget 2026 put RM15 billion behind STR and SARA combined, a 30% jump from the year before. The government has also floated moving away from the old B40/M40/T20 buckets toward Net Disposable Income (NDI), a calculation that leans heavily on PADU data. In plain terms: an outdated PADU profile can now cost you real ringgit at the pump and in your bank account.
How to Register for PADU Online (Step-by-Step)
Registration is open to all Malaysian citizens and permanent residents aged 18 and above. Unlike the frantic first quarter of 2024, there's no hard closing date anymore — you can sign up any day of the year at padu.gov.my.
- Go to padu.gov.my and click "Daftar Sekarang" (Register Now).
- Key in your particulars exactly as they appear on your MyKad — full name, IC number, and postcode (use the postcode printed on your IC, not your current address).
- Add an active mobile number and email address, then enter the OTP sent to you within the time shown on screen.
- Set a password of at least 8 characters, mixing uppercase, lowercase, numbers and a special character.
- Complete e-KYC verification: scan the QR code with your phone, photograph the front and back of your MyKad in good lighting, then take a selfie.
- Fill in your household profile — income, employment, household members, address, assets and financial commitments.
- Review everything and hit submit.
Most people finish the whole thing in 30 to 40 minutes, e-KYC included. Registering costs nothing at all — if anyone offers to register you for a fee, that's a scam, not a service.
How to Check Your PADU Status Online
Already registered but not sure your data actually went through? Checking takes under a minute.
- Head to padu.gov.my and log in using your MyKad number and password.
- Look at your dashboard — it shows your current data status and the date you last updated it.
- If anything looks outdated or wrong, click into that section to fix it.
If you don't have an account, you'll see the "Daftar Sekarang" prompt instead of a dashboard — that just means you need to register first.
How to Update Your Household or Income Information
Your PADU profile isn't a one-time form you fill and forget. Update it whenever life changes.
- Log in to padu.gov.my with your MyKad and password.
- Click into the section that needs updating — income, employment, household members, address, or commitments.
- Edit the details and re-verify where the system prompts you.
- Submit — changes typically reflect in the system within 7 working days.
Update PADU promptly after getting married, having a child, changing jobs, moving house, or any significant swing in income. It doesn't guarantee extra aid, but leaving stale data sitting there is the fastest way to get wrongly flagged as ineligible for something you actually qualify for, whether that's your BUDI95 quota or your STR payout.
No Internet or MyKad Access? Register at a Physical Counter
Helping an elderly parent, or just don't trust the online form? PADU registration is also available in person at Pos Malaysia branches, Pusat Khidmat Rakyat, PEDI centres, Pejabat Daerah, and Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) offices nationwide.
Bring along:
- Your MyKad, original and photocopy — if yours is expired or lost, renew it online first
- Bank account details
- Highest education certificate
- Proof of employment
- Proof of income
- Details of financial commitments, such as loans
Stuck at any step? Call the PADU hotline at 1-800-88-7720 (8am to 6pm) or the DOSM line at 1-800-88-7721.
FAQ
Is PADU registration compulsory in Malaysia?
No, it isn't legally compulsory. But skipping it, or leaving your data outdated, puts you at risk of being wrongly excluded from targeted subsidies like BUDI95 and cash aid like STR, since both increasingly reference PADU data to confirm eligibility.
Is PADU registration free?
Yes, completely free. There is no fee to register, check your status, or update your information at padu.gov.my or at any physical counter. Anyone charging a "PADU registration fee" is running a scam.
How long does it take for an update to reflect in PADU?
The system typically refreshes your profile within 7 working days of a successful update, though straightforward changes with complete documents can process faster.
What's the difference between PADU, MySTR and e-Kasih?
PADU is the master database that pulls together your socioeconomic profile from over 200 agencies. MySTR is the LHDN portal for applying and checking STR cash aid, and it draws on PADU data. e-Kasih is a separate JKM list for hardcore poor and B40 households, used for different welfare programmes. Think of PADU as your master file and the others as programme-specific counters.
I registered for PADU back in 2024. Do I need to register again?
No, you don't need a new account. Just log in with your MyKad and password, check whether your details are still accurate, and update anything that's changed since then.
