KUALA LUMPUR: The Digital Ministry, through the National Digital Department, will introduce specific legislation related to data sharing.
Its minister, Gobind Singh Deo, said the bill, which is expected to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat later this year, is currently in the research stage to ensure that the protection of users' data shared through various platforms is protected and not exposed to cybercrime risks.
He said the bill's enactment was also aimed at strengthening data protection in the country's digital ecosystem to be more comprehensive for all segments of society.
"It is important for us to see the speed and how technology is changing, especially new technology. (And) when we see new technology, we can understand the actual impact (of the technology) on the way we do our business, our lifestyle (routine), and so on.
"Most of these new technologies also use data, (and) therefore, (the use of technology) must be carefully looked at to ensure that the data used is accurate and protected.
"Realising the importance (of protecting shared data), we expect to table the act at the end of this year (in Parliament)," he told reporters after the launch of LGMS Bhd's Starsentry Cybersecurity Solution for small and medium enterprises.
Meanwhile, Gobind said there was a five per cent increase in data breach cases during this year's first quarter (Q1).
Following this, he said, the nation's cybersecurity must be prioritised, in line with the development and challenges of new technology.
"I was informed by the Personal Data Protection Department that there has been an increase in complaints in Q1 this year involving data breaches or leaks. There were 157 complaints last year compared to 163 this year.
"Following this, we need to create a reliable digital ecosystem, as it is currently used by everyone.
"This is also one of the reasons why collaboration, which is not only driven by the public sector but also by the private sector, is important. Problems cannot be solved and we cannot move forward if we work separately."
Gobind also said a bill to amend the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA) is expected to be tabled in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat session in June.
"There are seven issues we are raising (through the PDPA amendments). One of them is the notification aspect, which is when an incident occurs where we believe there is an attempt at a breach.
"Based on this, companies need to give notice to the Personal Data Protection commissioner so that we can inform all parties involved, such as data owners and so on."
Gobind said the details will be announced in a special press conference to be held by next week.