The lost of MyKad is no joking matter and I experienced the hassle first hand today when my wallet went missing yesterday.

I’ve never experienced the lost of MyKad before. I had misplaced my MyKad in the past but I’ve never actually lost it.

A ‘MyKad’ is an identification card for Malaysians and it is popularly known with the name ‘IC’ as well. Just in case you didn’t know.

I experienced the lost of MyKad in the morning when I was heading out for work. The whole incident was due to my carelessness.

I was in a hurry to go to work and forgot I had put my wallet on the car bonnet. I only realized my wallet was missing when I wanted to withdraw money.

My wallet had everything; my MyKad, ATM cards, credit cards, membership cards and some cash, so losing the wallet itself was a huge deal of inconvenience.

LOST OF WALLET: THE FIRST STEPS

Once I realized my wallet was missing, I immediately retraced my steps. The move however proved futile largely due to the fact I only noticed my missing wallet hours after it happened.

This meant there was a huge likelihood that my wallet had been picked up by someone.

Once I couldn’t find my wallet, I immediately made calls to the bank to block all ATM, debit cards and credit cards. This was to block any possible transactions from happening without my authorization.

I know it is very unlikely that credit cards could be used without getting the security SMS/TAC from the issuing bank these days, but it is important to note that small amounts of transactions (likely below RM250) could still be charged without such verification or the use of a PIN number. I believe they call this service ‘Paywave’.

It is better to block all these cards before it is used by a third party.

LOST OF MYKAD: WHAT TO DO

With all my bank cards already secured and blocked, the next step was to address the lost of MyKad.

Without a MyKad, I will not be able to do a lot of things including seek replacements for my credit cards and ATM cards. I couldn’t also replace my driving license.

The first step to address the lost of MyKad is to make a police report.

A police report is important because a lost MyKad can be used for a lot of things. They include securing loans, opening bank accounts and even criminal related offenses, like doing scams.

In fact, a MyKad could also be sold to non-Malaysians wanting to gain citizenship. I was told MyKads fetch a handsome price in the black market.

That said, I went to the Gita Police Station to have my statement recorded. The procedure took about 30 minutes, and it was free of charge.

It is important to include all the documents/cards that were lost as the issuing company of these cards may require proof the document/card was missing.

With the police report in hand, I went to the National Registration Department in the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) in Kuching to get a replacement MyKad.

MyKad replacements aren’t free and the amount one had to pay is determined by the excuse used to seek replacement.

The rates for replacing a damaged MyKad is only RM10. However, for the lost of MyKad, the rates are hefty as seen below:

First instance: RM110 (Processing + Application)
Second instance: RM310 (Processing + Application)
Third and following instance: RM1,010 (Processing + Application), and an investigation would be carried out

The whole duration to get a new MyKad was less than an hour, and I only had to bring the police report as proof of my misfortune.

If you didn’t know, MyKads have a one year warranty period. If it’s damaged within a year, a replacement can be issued free of charge. More information on MyKad replacement can be obtained at the official JPN website.

LOST OF DRIVING LICENSE: WHAT TO DO

The replacement of my driving license was also done at UTC Kuching.

I had to go to the JPJ Office to get my replacement driving license. It was just a few meters from the National Registration Department’s office making things very convenient.

Having both the National Registration Department’s office and the JPJ Office in one building (the UTC) really helped save time.

Here, I had to pay RM20 for a replacement card, and I was required to show them the police report I made about the lost of MyKad. The officer also required

The process itself didn’t take too long and I was out of the JPJ office within an hour.

I was told that a replacement card is free of charge if the card is lost due to theft.

LOST OF ATM/CREDIT CARDS: GETTING A REPLACEMENT

Getting a replacement ATM and credit card from any Malaysian bank isn’t difficult. There is a nominal fee of RM10 – 15 for the replacement card, but that is expected.

Credit cards are usually issued by the bank’s card centre in Kuala Lumpur, and a replacement can be requested during the report of the loss.  Reports of lost credit cards can be done over the phone.

No documentation is required to have credit cards replaced  However, it is important to note that a new credit card number would be issued if the card is reported as stolen.

For ATM cards, I went to local banks to have them reissued. Documents required include the police report and MyKad.

The process for each bank took less than an hour, but I would advise to come in the afternoon when the crowd is less.

SO THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS…

If you read this post until here, it would seem by now that the whole process to replace all my important documents and cards didn’t take too long. Most took about an hour or less to complete.

However, the truth is, it still took me a whole day to finish everything despite the fact that the UTC helped a lot.

That said, the lost of a MyKad is really a hassle and I am hopeful I do not have to go through this again in the future.

Thanks to the lost of my wallet, I waste time renewing all the cards and documents, and would need to re-register any auto payment I previously had with my old credit cards.

If you think you tend to misplace your MyKad and wallet, it’s time to be extra careful because it may burn a hole in your pocket.