MyKad is the compulsory identity document

Identity document

An identity document is any document which may be used to verify aspects of a person's personal identity. If issued in the form of a small, mostly standard-sized card, it is usually called an identity card...

 for Malaysian citizens aged 12 and above. Introduced by the National Registration Department of Malaysia on 5 September 2001 as one of four MSC Malaysia

MSC Malaysia

MSC Malaysia . The Multimedia Super Corridor program was launched by Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the former Prime Minister of Malaysia , circa 1996...

 flagship applications and a replacement for the High Quality Identity Card (Kad Pengenalan Bermutu Tinggi), Malaysia became the first country in the world to use an identification card that incorporates both photo identification and fingerprint

Fingerprint

A fingerprint in its narrow sense is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. In a wider use of the term, fingerprints are the traces of an impression from the friction ridges of any part of a human hand. A print from the foot can also leave an impression of friction ridges...

 biometric

Biometrics

Biometrics As Jain & Ross point out, "the term biometric authentication is perhaps more appropriate than biometrics since the latter has been historically used in the field of statistics to refer to the analysis of biological data [36]" . consists of methods...

 data on an in-built computer chip embedded in a piece of plastic.

Besides the main purpose of the card as a validation tool and proof of citizenship other than the birth certificate, MyKad also serves as a valid driver's license

Driver's license

A driver's license/licence , or driving licence is an official document which states that a person may operate a motorized vehicle, such as a motorcycle, car, truck or a bus, on a public roadway. Most U.S...

, an ATM card

ATM card

An ATM card is a card issued by a bank, credit union or building society that can be used at an ATM for deposits, withdrawals, account information, and other types of transactions, often through interbank networks.Some ATM cards can also be used:* at a branch, as identification for in-person...

, an electronic purse, and a public key, among other applications, as part of the Malaysian Government Multipurpose Card (GMPC) initiative.

Other cards which are currently in use or soon to be introduced in the GMPC initiative and share similar features are:

1. MyKid – for Malaysian citizens under the age of 12 including newborns;
2. MyPR – for Malaysian Permanent Residents
   Permanent residency
   Permanent residency refers to a person's visa status: the person is allowed to reside indefinitely within a country of which he or she is not a citizen. A person with such status is known as a permanent resident....
   
   ;
3. MyTentera – for Malaysian Armed Forces personnel; and
4. MyPolis – for Royal Malaysian Police
   Royal Malaysian Police
   The Royal Malaysia Police is a part of the security forces structure in Malaysia. The force is a centralised organization with responsibilities ranging from traffic control to intelligence gathering. Its headquarters is located at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur. The police force is led by an...
   
    personnel.

The term MyKad is a compound

Compound (linguistics)

In linguistics, a compound is a lexeme that consists of more than one stem. Compounding or composition is the word formation that creates compound lexemes...

 of two words with ambiguous

Ambiguity

Ambiguity of words or phrases is the ability to express more than one interpretation. It is distinct from vagueness, which is a statement about the lack of precision contained or available in the information.Context may play a role in resolving ambiguity...

 meanings; namely My and Kad.

My refers to:

• the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2
  ISO 3166-1 alpha-2
  ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 codes are two-letter country codes defined in ISO 3166-1, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization , to represent countries, dependent territories, and special areas of geographical interest...
  
   code for Malaysia; or

Kad can refer to:

• the translation of card
  Card
  Card primarily refers to an entire or piece of card stock.Card may refer to:-Small flat objects:* ATM card* Business card* Charge card* Cigarette card* Debit card* Flashcard* Gift card...
  
  into the Malay language
  Malay language
  Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
  
  ; or
• the acronym for Kad Akuan Diri or Personal Identification Card; or
• the acronym for Kad Aplikasi Digital or Digital Application Card.

The initial MyKad was a contact card solution developed and manufactured by IRIS Corporation.