Cybersecurity law tabled for first reading

Photo: Bernama

THE Cyber Security Bill 2024, which aims to enhance national cybersecurity, has been tabled for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat.

It was tabled by Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo yesterday and is slated for the second reading within the current Dewan Rakyat session.

It seeks to enhance national cybersecurity by requiring compliance with certain measures and standards while covering the process of managing cybersecurity incidents involving critical national information infrastructure (CNII).

The Bill also outlines the setting up of a national cybersecurity committee, the duties and powers of the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) chief executive officer, as well as the licensing of cybersecurity service providers, among others.

The national cybersecurity committee will be chaired by the Prime Minister and comprise ministers overseeing finance, foreign affairs, defence, home affairs, communications and digital, as well as the Chief Secretary to the Government.

Its members would also include the Armed Forces chief, the Inspector-General of Police, National Security director-general, and not more than two people with standing and experience in cybersecurity, who would be appointed by the committee.

The Bill also covers the appointment of a CNII sector lead.

“The minister may upon the recommendation of the chief executive, appoint any government entity or person to be the CNII sector lead.

“The minister may appoint more than one CNII sector lead for any of the CNII sectors,” reads the Bill.

The names of those appointed will be published on the official website of the NCSA.

CNIIs are systems which, if destroyed or disrupted, would have a detrimental impact on services essential to the security, defence, foreign relations, economy, public health, public safety or public order of the nation.