Govt to draft law specific to combat cyberbullying

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The government is drafting laws specifically on cyberbullying to combat the growing problem, says Malaysia Cybersecurity Outreach and Capacity Building senior vice-president, Lt Col (R) Mustaffa Ahmad.

Mustaffa said with the specific laws, the prosecution process for cyberbullying would no longer be based on other acts, including Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988 (Improper use of network facilities) as is being practised currently.

"Cyberbullying is quite rampant these days, in 2020 Cybersecurity received 596 reports of cyberbullying or harassment compared to 201 reports in 2019. For 2021, as of July, we have received 267 reports,” he said as a panelist of a cyber ethics programme entitled ‘Trolling: Sindiran atau Sandaran’ organised by Cybersecurity Malaysia that was aired live on its Youtube channel on Saturday (Aug 14).

Cybersecurity Malaysia is national cybersecurity agency under the Communications and Multimedia Ministry.

Mustaffa said the public also needed to practise self-restraint, civility and empathy towards other people and understand the concept of a digital footprint in combating cyberbullying and not to just rely on the law.

"A digital footprint are traces left behind by every user whenever they surf the Internet, so be careful of what you surf because everything can be known and it will be used as source to bully you,” he said.

Cyberbullying refers to any deliberate action by individuals or entities through digital communication with the intent to cause anxiety, physical, psychological, economic, academic harm to the victim.

These include threats to spread videos, fake profiles, harassing messages, fake news or slander and insulting comments.

"If you face cyber harassment, you are advised to report it to the police, take a screenshot of the harassment, set your privacy settings in social media, share it with people you trust and do not respond to the bully,” Mustaffa added.

Meanwhile, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia, ICT and Islamic Research Cluster chief Prof Dr Mohamad Fauzan Noordin said to curb cyberbullying, the public, especially Muslims, should always be guided by what is taught in the Quran.

"For example, the Surah Al-Hujarat contains advice such as ‘fa ashlihu’,which is to be at peace with each other, ‘La yaghtab’; to not slander each other and ‘fatabbayyanu’, which is to investigate whatever news you receive,” he said.

Besides the police, reports of cyberbullying can be made to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, Kasih 15999 hotline, Mercy Malaysia, Befrienders and social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram as well as cyber999.-Bernama