Minister in the Prime Minister’s department Azalina Othman Said says that it is about time to review the nation’s cybercrime laws. She said that the government is concerned about the increasing number of cyber attacks and mounting social media abuse; and intends to do something about it.
Azalina, who was recently appointed minister-in-charge of legal affairs, explained that there were many factors that has the current government worried about the state of the internet. Not least among these is the use of social media “to spread lies, recruit terrorists, and incite hatred against the government…”
However, Azalina says that the government does not intend to curtail the freedoms of the people to use the internet. Instead, the cyber laws review would be to find a “balance between freedom and the responsibility of netizens.” It would also be used to protect citizens from being victimised by cybercriminals.
The statement from the minister comes shortly after the announcement of a new Cyber court to deal with cases involving cyberspace and technology. While the new court is not yet operational, it has been seen as a positive move to improving the judiciary – provided that enough judges with the appropriate experience and knowledge can be found.
[Source: The Malay Mail Online]
