Govt drafting new law to combat online fraud, ensure digital security

TAIPING: The Digital Ministry has provided assurances that amendments to the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (Act 709) will not affect the government’s efforts to create a new law to combat online fraud.

Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said this was because the two acts are entirely different from both technical and legal implementation perspectives.

“The amendments to Act 709 are more about ensuring that personal data stored is secure. If there is a data breach or hacking incident, we need to put legal provisions in place that require stakeholders to mandatorily provide notice of the incident.

“Meanwhile, the new act that we aim to establish is more directed towards combating online fraud that affects individuals. So, we can see that it will differ from a legal standpoint,” he said when met at the 150th Anniversary of Taiping Heritage Town dinner organised by the Sri Guru Singh Sabha Organisation here on Sunday (July 7).

He also pointed out that the implementation of Act 709 would be coordinated and fully enforced by the Digital Ministry, while the forthcoming Act will involve cooperation between the Communications Ministry and the Home Ministry.

“Although different, we will still collaborate to address complaints and when complaints are made, we will review the direction in which these complaints can be forwarded and resolved by the relevant ministries,” Gobind said.

Commenting on the amendments to Act 709, he said the changes not only provide convenience but also has the potential to improve the standard of business and daily life for Malaysians.

Gobind was reported on July 4 as saying that the Cabinet approved the proposed amendments to Act 709, which are expected to be tabled during this Dewan Rakyat session while Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said stated in February that the government was drafting a new law that included provisions related to procedures and enforcement of a ‘kill switch’ to enhance digital security in combating rising online fraud. – Bernam