Page 328 - Contributed Paper Session (CPS) - Volume 4

CPS2249 Azrin A. et al.

Microdata dissemination at DOSM: Challenges,
potential and implementation
Azrin Ahmad, Rosnah Muhamad Ali, Tuan Noraida Tuan Hamzah, Siti
Haslinda Mohd Din

Department of Statistics Malaysia

Abstract
The dynamic data behaviour of microdata dissemination has inflicted
Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) as data producer facing the
expanding demand for microdata. Determining the best way to disseminate
these data is a challenge for DOSM. According to a study by Li on the
Microdata Dissemination, microdata often remain inaccessible to the
community, due to technical, financial, legal even political obstacles. Thus, the
main objective of this paper is to assess the best option in accessing microdata
while protecting its confidentiality. As the national data producers, DOSM have
to implement procedures for the documentation, cataloguing and
dissemination of the data. This is in line with the aim of data dissemination in
maximizing the usage of data and to reassure the data being used in an
optimum manner. Referring to the Committee for the Coordination of
Statistical Activities Report on Microdata Dissemination Best Practices, the
establishment of the core principles of micro data procedures and
dissemination should include openness, transparency, legal conformity and
protection of privacy, protection of intellectual property, interoperability,
quality, security and accountability. Apart from this, the limitation of the
developed policies and procedures will also be discovered through the
identification of the best practices of data dissemination. Subsequently, the
microdata confidentiality and disclosure protection policy developed will
impose the balance between demand and the need to keep respondent
information confidential. At the same time, access to microdata by the
research community would foster diversity and quality of the analyses. This
will broaden the use of existing data, and increase the return on data collection
investment indirectly may enhance the data quality of DOSM. Moreover, it will
lead to a better measurement and impact towards the value and respond to
the demand of data. At the end of the study, we are expecting to summarize
the best practices in developing policies and methodology on the access to
microdata in DOSM.

Keywords
Microdata; dissemination; confidentiality; policy

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