MIMOS Berhad, the applied research and development arm of the Malaysian Government, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Worldcoin Foundation, Tools for Humanity (TFH), and MY E.G. Services Berhad (MYEG) to integrate Worldcoin’s technology into Malaysia’s digital infrastructure.
The collaboration seeks to advance the digital proof of humanness through iris imaging technology developed by TFH as part of the Worldcoin project.
This partnership builds on the October 2022 MOU between MYEG and MIMOS to develop and operate Malaysia’s Blockchain Infrastructure (MBI).
The latest agreement aims to leverage the Worldcoin protocol and TFH technologies to enhance ongoing and future efforts related to digital credentials.
In addition to exploring the local manufacturing of Worldcoin’s Orb, the partnership will also focus on bridging Worldchain with Malaysia’s National Blockchain Infrastructure.
The Orb is a hardware device designed for human verification, and the partnership will assess the feasibility of producing these devices locally.
The Worldcoin Foundation will ensure its technology remains open-source and freely available, while TFH will provide technical expertise for the Orb and World App integration.
MYEG will play a key role in technical integrations and hardware deployment to support MIMOS’s initiatives.
The partnership comes amid growing scrutiny of Worldcoin’s activities in Hong Kong, where the project has faced privacy concerns.
The Hong Kong Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) recently found that Worldcoin’s project breached privacy laws, particularly in how biometric data was collected and used without proper consent and safeguards.
As part of the collaboration, the entities aim to improve the security, efficiency, and scalability of Malaysia’s digital platforms, enhancing trust in online transactions and supporting innovation.
The initiative also focuses on building a skilled workforce through training and educational programmes to ensure Malaysians are equipped to thrive in the digital age.
This partnership highlights Malaysia’s efforts in digital transformation while incorporating cryptographic solutions like Worldcoin’s secure multi-party computation (SMPC) system.
The SMPC system enhances privacy by dividing iris codes into separate components, enabling verification without disclosing personal information.
Featured image credit: Edited from Freepik
