PUTRAJAYA, July 4 — The Cabinet has approved the proposed amendments to the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (Act 709), which are expected to be tabled in the current Parliament session, said Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.
In a statement today, he said the amendments are vital to ensure Malaysia’s data protection legislation aligns with global standards and legal developments.
“The proposed amendments to Act 709 aim to enhance policies, particularly in terms of security and enforcement, to address issues of personal data breaches and misuse in Malaysia,” he said.
Gobind said key proposals for amending Act 709 include the mandatory notification of personal data breaches, additional compliance responsibilities for data processors, and the appointment of data protection officers.
Other proposals involve introducing the right to data portability for data subjects and abolishing the requirement to designate specific locations for transferring personal data outside Malaysia.
“In drafting the proposed amendments to Act 709, the Office of the Personal Data Protection (PDP) Commissioner also considered input and views from various stakeholders via multiple engagement sessions,” he said.
He noted that statistics show a 5.1 per cent increase in the number of complaints received from October 2023 to March.
During that period, the PDP received 322 complaints regarding the misuse and breach of personal data.
“In the fourth quarter of 2023, 157 complaints were received, while 165 complaints were received in the first quarter of 2024.
“Specifically, the statistics for personal data breaches show a significant increase of 41 per cent in 2024 compared to 2023,” he said.
Gobind added that according to National Scam Response Centre statistics, 34,497 online fraud cases resulting in RM1.218 billion losses were reported nationwide last year.
“Based on 2023 statistics, telecommunications crimes such as (fake) SMS contests, online impersonations, and phone call scams were among the highest recorded, with 10,348 cases involving losses of RM352.9 million,” he said.
Parliament will convene until July 18.
— Bernama
