Digital Ministry hopes Cyberbullying Bill to be tabled in Parliament next year, says Gobind

JOHOR BARU: The Digital Ministry is hopeful that the bill addressing cyberbullying will be tabled in Parliament by March next year, says Gobind Singh Deo.

The Digital Minister added that the proposed framework for the cyberbullying law was recently presented to the Cabinet.

He also mentioned that a committee, which includes the Communications Ministry, the Home Affairs Ministry, the Digital Ministry, and the Legal Affairs Division of the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform), was formed to examine aspects of cyberbullying that need refinement.

"Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said will announce matters concerning cyberbullying.

"But what I can say is that the committee was formed to look at the aspects that require further consideration when discussing cyberbullying.

"Hopefully, the bill can be tabled in the current Parliament session, but if there isn’t enough time, we will table it in the next session in March next year," he added.

Gobind made these remarks after attending the GDS International Data Centre Supply Chain Ecosystem Summit held at a hotel here on Sunday (Oct 27).

In July, Bernama reported that the committee involving the four ministries would thoroughly review the Penal Code (Act 574) to address cyberbullying, with amendments expected to be tabled in Parliament this month.

The push for new legislation follows the death of influencer Rajeswary Appahu, better known as Esha, who was a victim of cyberbullying. She was found dead in a condominium unit in Setapak on July 5, a day after lodging a police report about cyberbullying she had been experiencing.