GEORGE TOWN: The amended Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) is poised to bolster Malaysia’s position as a trusted business hub, according to the chief executive officer of Digital Penang.
Ng Kwang Ming said these updates will not only enhance investor confidence but also raise awareness among stakeholders dealing with personal data.
“It’s good that updates are being made to build investors’ confidence in the digital economy.
“It will also raise awareness about the importance of protecting personal data as a valuable asset,” he said yesterday.
Ng, who is a veteran in the software, IT services and technology sectors, highlighted the global nature of the Internet and the heightened focus by many countries on personal data protection.
However, he cautioned about the challenges ahead in ensuring full compliance and security, given that data can be sophisticatedly linked within a database.
“Data can duplicate and migrate easily through networks and the challenge is to properly handle it.
“It would be a challenge to IT developers to have a system to do it, especially smaller companies with high traffic of personal data.
“There would be added costs but it should be worth the protection,” he said.
On Wednesday, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo (pic) tabled the amendment Bill for the PDPA 2010 aimed at improving provisions on the processing of personal data.
The Bill is expected to be tabled for its second reading during the current meeting.
Among the key amendments, organisations handling data will need to designate a data protection officer responsible for promptly reporting any data breaches.
Failure to report such incidents could result in fines up to RM250,000 or a maximum prison term of two years or both, upon conviction.
The amendments also propose tougher penalties under Section 5, with fines raised from RM300,000 to RM1mil and the jail term extended from a maximum of two years to three years.
Last year, the Personal Data Protection Commissioner received 779 complaints of data breaches and abuses.
As of June this year, 288 complaints have been received.
