JOHOR BARU, Jan 3 — The Johor state government has explained today that its Johor Entrepreneur Data Centre System which was used since January 1 last year is different from the federal government’s newly-launched Central Database Hub — despite sharing the same Malay name of Padu.

State Youth, Sports, Entrepreneur Development, Cooperatives and Human Resources Committee chairman Mohd Hairi Mad Shah said Johor’s Padu has a different function and specific to compiling data of entrepreneurs placed under Perbadanan Usahawan Johor Sdn Bhd (PUJB).

"The information of registered entrepreneurs will be used to channel assistance and needs of the entrepreneurs involved. Now there is confusion between the Padu system at the national level and Johor because of having the same abbreviations,” he told the press after the opening ceremony of the Lazy Monday at Tebing@Bandar Datuk Onn here.

"At the state level, Padu is more for entrepreneurs to receive information related to assistance such as grants and related assistance.

"Both the systems are different and not the same as the Johor system is managed by PUJB, while the federal government’s system is to assist in the distribution of aid and subsidy more efficiently to stop leakages,” he added.

The event was also attended by Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi.

Mohd Hairi said that so far, a total of 40,000 entrepreneurs are registered under Johor’s Padu, with RM129 million in allocations.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim launched Padu at the Putrajaya International Convention Center (PICC).

It is managed by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DoSM) and covers nearly 300 types of data under the federal government, with data from state and local governments gradually included.

Padu contains individual and household profiles covering both Malaysians and permanent residents that are meant to reduce leakages in channelling subsidies to target groups.