He said the identity card reported missing should be deactivated and no longer regarded as valid for use even if it was rediscovered.

“Therefore, if (the once-missing MyKad) is used, it is not valid and against the law,” he said in a statement here today.

He said under Rule 25(1)(e) and 25(1)(fa) PPN 1990 of the National Registration Act 1959 (Act 78), a person could face a jail term of not more than three years or fined not more than RM20,000 or both, if found guilty.

Mohd Yazid also said Rule 13(5) PPN 1990 of the same Act, states that any individual in possession of an identity card that does not belong to them, should immediately hand it over to an NRD office or the nearest police station.

“It is reminded that all identity card owners who find  their cards, or any quarters or agencies in possession of identity cards which have been discovered, must hand over the cards to the NRD for the cancellation process,” he said.

Mohd Yazid said public awareness on the importance of having a valid MyKad was not taken seriously as there were many people who did not collect their new MyKads after they had found their once-missing identity cards.

This resulted in the disposal of unclaimed MyKads in accordance with the stipulated period of three years, he said.

A RM100 penalty will be imposed for those who lose their MyKad for the first time; RM300 for the second and third times; and RM1,000 for subsequent occurrences, in addition to the RM10 processing fee for each case.

For those who have lost MyKads more than three times, the applicant will be referred to NRD’s Investigation and Enforcement Division to identify the cause of the loss, he said.