Cyber Security Bill tabled for first reading

KUALA LUMPUR: The Cyber Security Bill 2024, which aims to enhance national cybersecurity, has been tabled for the first reading in Parliament.

The Bill was tabled by Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo on Monday (March 25).

It is slated for the second reading within the current Dewan Rakyat meeting.

The Bill seeks to enhance national cybersecurity by requiring compliance to certain measures and standards

It also covers the process of managing cybersecurity incidents involving critical national information infrastructure.

The Bill also outlines the establishment of a National Cyber Security Committee, the duties and powers of the National Cyber Security Agency chief executive officer as well as licensing of cybersecurity service providers, among others.

The bill also covers the appointment of a national crticitical information infrastructure sector lead.

“The Minister may upon the reccomendation of the chief executive, appoint any government entity or person to be the national critical information infrastructure sector lead,” read the bill.

“The minister may appoint more than one national critical information infrastructure sector lead for any of the national critical information infrastructure sectors.”

The names of those appointed will be published on the official website of the National Cyber Security Agency, the bill adds.

The lead appointed will include preparing a code of practice as well drafting and maintaining guidelines on best practices related to cyber security management, among others.

The National Cyber Security Agency said last week that the proposed bill will give it a legal mandate to set cybersecurity standards that must be abided by organisations classified as National Critical Information Infrastructure, with non-compliance leaving them subject to legal action.