KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 ― A series of public consultations to discuss possible amendments to the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA) of Act 709 will be held from Feb14-28, Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo said.
He said the amendments were important to strengthen protection of personal data in Malaysia, in addition to ensuring that the act was in line with current developments and the needs of the digital economy and technological and social revolution.
In a statement today, he said the public can access and provide feedback on the matter via the Personal Data Protection Department’s website https://www.pdp.gov.
"The draft for the amendments will undergo fine-tuning in March,” Gobind said.
He said the Communications and Multimedia Ministry (KKMM), via the Personal Data Protection Department (JPDP), had reviewed Act 709 last year.
"Through this study, we had identified there are gaps within the Act and its position when compared to personal data protection legislation in ASEAN member nations, Japan, South Korea and also the European Union"s (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR),” Gobind said.
Among the major amendments proposed include widening the act to include data processors; making it compulsory for data users to report data breach incidents to the authorities; expanding the rights of data subjects; and to ease the process of crossborder data transfers.
Elaborating further, Gobind said relevant amendments needed to be done to ensure the act is in line with developments in the digital economy and e-commerce sectors.
"Among others, the government is considering tightening personal data protection and to expand existing authority as well as action on those who obtain or come into possession of leaked data in an unlawful manner,” the minister said.
JPDP also held a series of workshops involving industry professionals, regulators, government agencies and academicians, he added. ― Bernama
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