Zahid: Malaysia to introduce new cybersecurity law

Datuk Seri Dr Ahamd Zahid Hamidi

JOHOR BARU: The Government will introduce a new law aimed at protecting Malaysians from cybersecurity threats, says Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

The Deputy Prime Minister also said that the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) would be placed under the umbrella of the National Security Council (NSC).

The decision was made at the NCSA committee meeting in Putrajaya on Thursday.

Dr Ahmad Zahid said that the time has come for NCSA to be the single agency that coordinates all efforts to manage such threats to dealt affectively.

"Placing it under one agency will ensure better, more coordinated action against cybersecurity threats in Malaysia," he said after visiting the Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Building here on Friday.

He pointed out that he personally handed over the draft of the Bill to Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali when he chaired the NCSA meeting on Thursday.

"The Bill will be tabled by the Prime Minister's Department in the next Parliament sitting as the NCSA is now under the NSC," he said.

Dr Ahmad Zahid said that there are about 10,000 cybersecurity-related reports received every year.

"The Government is serious in combating all sorts of cybercrime.

"This also includes recruitment and financial sourcing by terrorist groups, money-laundering and online gambling," he said.

In January last year, the Cabinet approved the setting up of the NCSA under the purview of the National Security Council.

The agency came into effect last year and uses existing laws such as Communication and Multimedia Act 1998, Defamation Act 1957 and Sedition Act 1948 to fight cyber threats.