New Straits Times
Expert: Comprehensive cyber law can close loopholes
By Qistina Sallehuddin | 21 December 2023

Malaysia has several laws (to combat online crime), such as the Computer Crimes Act 1997, Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and Personal Data Protection Act 2010. - NSTP file pic

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia can strengthen its ability to address multifaceted challenges posed by online crime if existing cyberspace-related legislation is consolidated into one comprehensive law.

Universiti Sains Malaysia's cybersecurity expert Associate Professor Dr Selvakumar Manickam said the decision on whether an amendment to existing laws was sufficient or if new legislation was required would depend on the adequacy of the current legal framework.

"Malaysia has several laws (to combat online crime), such as the Computer Crimes Act 1997, Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and Personal Data Protection Act 2010.

"If existing laws are comprehensive and adaptable, amendments would suffice.

Associate Professor Dr Selvakumar Manickam.

"It would be best to assimilate existing cyberspace-related legislation into one comprehensive law covering all aspects of online crime and to update it regularly, in tandem with the evolution of online technology," he told the New Straits Times.

Selvakumar said existing Malaysian laws had different functionalities and focused on different aspects of crime, whether online or traditional, resulting in areas that were not explicitly addressed.

He said such gaps or loopholes in these laws could be addressed through a comprehensive "cyber law" or "Cyber Governance Act".

"The complexity of this issue requires further study to determine its feasibility, as recommended by the government."

He said the government should implement measures, such as imposing stringent legal penalties as a deterrent and conduct regular policy reviews to adapt to emerging threats, to effectively combat online criminal activities.

He said the government could include more measures, namely public awareness and education, along with technological innovation, such as the usage of artificial intelligence for detecting and preventing online crimes.

"The fact that online crime is complex as it not only about the crime committed in cyberspace.

"It also touches on other acts and laws such as intellectual property, as well as financial and commercial crime.

"Hence, the government, having the involvement of academicians from various disciplines to conduct a study on policy design, is certainly moving in the right direction."