Revisit MCMC Act to ensure cybersecurity breaches can be handled by force of law - Annuar

KUALA LUMPUR: The Communications and Multimedia (MCMC) Act should be reviewed to ensure that cybersecurity breaches such as personal data leakage can be handled by force of law with gravity, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa.

Annuar, in a statement today, said he has directed the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to revisit the MCMC Act 1998, and hopes that a thorough investigation will be conducted on the alleged leakage by a government agency.

"It is imperative for KKMM (Communications and Multimedia Ministry) and MCMC to study the alleged data leakage by the said government agency.

"For the said case, no stone must be left unturned during investigations, including cyber forensics studies to find out how such leakages happened," he said.

He noted that the alleged incident involving personal data leakage at the government agency should be an eye-opener.

"CyberSecurity Malaysia's role as the specialist and technical agency under the purview of the KKMM is to provide a broad range of cybersecurity innovation-led services, programs and initiatives to reduce the vulnerability of digital systems, and at the same time strengthen Malaysia's self-reliance in cyberspace.

"Furthermore, as a technical expert, CyberSecurity Malaysia requires a strong legal framework such as cybersecurity law to address cybersecurity challenges in today's digital technology development," he said.

Besides, he also said personal data protection should be given more attention if Malaysia intends to become one of the main digital centres among the ASEAN countries.

This is required to build confidence not only among the users but also the investors, he said.

"One of the most important aspects of building such confidence is to address cybersecurity issues seriously.

"With the world undergoing digitalisation, there is an urgent need for us to create an ecosystem in which the issue of cybersecurity is of paramount importance," he said.

-- BERNAMA