SHAH ALAM, Sept 11 — Malaysia’s ballooning number of government mobile applications, now estimated at nearly 300, has reignited debate over digital fragmentation and whether services should be consolidated into a single super app.
Experts are divided, with some suggesting that consolidation could ease confusion and improve efficiency, and others warning that it may heighten risks if the platform is ever compromised.
IT security specialist and LGMS founder Fong Choong Fook believes that integrating the apps would ease the burden on users while reducing potential entry points for hackers.
“It is better for the government to create one super app so it is more efficient and effective. If you have more dispersed apps, your attack surface is much greater,” he told Media Selangor.
The real issue is not whether services are centralised or fragmented, but whether the data security framework is strong enough to protect users’ information from breaches.
Fong pointed to Selangor as an example of how digital services could be streamlined through a state-level super app.
“You can consolidate business registration, parking, and other functions into one app. That way, people do not need to download multiple apps, and it also helps minimise risks,” he said.
It was previously reported that the state administration is considering upgrading its SELangkah app into a Super App that would integrate more government services beyond healthcare.
The app, which established itself as a primary health platform in Selangor alongside the nationally mandated MySejahtera during the Covid-19 pandemic, has since been expanded to provide easier access to various health initiatives.
Under the proposed Super App concept, other state services, including the digital payment platform Wavpay and public transportation services, would be integrated to create a more comprehensive platform for residents.
Questions over the need for so many government mobile apps resurfaced recently after X (formerly Twitter) user Hisham Cato (@Solo_Level_27) highlighted that the Malaysian government’s Google Play developer page currently lists 87 apps.
However, according to the Gallery of Malaysian Government Mobile Applications (Gamma), Malaysia currently has 289 government-related apps across 125 agencies, with 42 new apps launched this year alone.
Collectively, these apps have been downloaded more than 76.5 million times, while the government’s official portal has drawn over 10.4 million visitors.
Among the most widely used apps are MyGOV Malaysia, which integrates 34 services including road tax renewal, summons payments, MyKad details, and health appointments under one login via MyDigital ID; MySejahtera, now central to health services; MyJPJ for driving licences and vehicle registration; and Gamma itself, which serves as a secure repository for official apps.
Risks and realities
Unlike Fong, senior tech specialist Aizu Ikmal Ahmad believes cybersecurity risks could be amplified if all government services were to be integrated under a single-platform model.
“A single super app carries greater risks compared to multiple distributed apps that use different data storage systems. If one app is compromised, the impact is limited to that platform alone.
“For example, if MySejahtera were hacked, JPJ registration data would still remain secure,” he said.
Aizu noted that decentralisation is also driven by institutional practices, as agencies often appoint new vendors whenever there is a change in leadership.
Financially, merging the apps may not necessarily save money since many smaller ones were developed at minimal cost, some even for free, like MySejahtera in its early days.
From a vendor perspective, he argued that having more apps opens up more opportunities for local tech companies to share in the economic pie.
“There is not a single tech company in Malaysia with the knowledge and experience to handle everything. For instance, the MySejahtera and MyJPJ apps each required specialised knowledge of their respective ministry systems.
“It is not realistic to combine everything into one super app under a single vendor, unless there is a lead entity that subcontracts different functions to different vendors,” Aizu said.
