WE REFER to “Census hiccups” (Letters, July 12). The Statistics Department appreciates your concern and cooperation with regards to the Population and Housing Census, Malaysia 2010.

Enumerators are appointed by the Census Commissioner’s Office and  trained on understanding the questions, concepts and definitions, communication skills and other matters about the census.
The department in its training programme has instilled in the enumerators that the sequence of the set of questions should be followed. But this was not so according to the complainant’s letter.

The department apologises for the hiccups faced.

There are 51 questions in the questionnaire from four main parts as follows:

Part A - House address -1 question
Part B - Living quarters particulars -11 questions
Part C - Household particulars - 9 questions
Part D - Personal particulars - 30 questions

The process of enumeration is carried out using three methods that is: face-to-face interviews and self enumeration whereby the respondents are given the choice either to fill up the form using hardcopy or on-line via e-census. Self-enumeration method has been introduced to improve the data collection process in Population and Housing Census Malaysia 2010.

Enumerators are required to ask all the questions during their visits. In a face-to-face interview, the enumerator will ask the questions and immediately fill up all the information gathered from the respondents into the questionnaire.

Each enumerator will carry a name tag tied to an orange lanyard with the census logo during the visit.

The enumerators have been instructed and trained to go through and ask all the questions in sequence as printed in the form for every person in the living quarters. They should not skip any questions unless the questions are irrelevant to that particular household. On the question pertaining to household income, the head of household should inform the enumerator only the total income of household which is collected in a range form and not the exact figure.

As for the incident at the complainant’s living quarters during the enumeration, we would like to investigate the matter. Please provide us with details of the visit including the address.

For further queries, contact

Source: The Sun – July 15, 2010