SINGAPORE, Feb 2 (NNN-Bernama) — Malaysia has embarked on a transformative journey to improve data governance through revising the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 and revisions to subsidiary regulations.
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said prioritising cybersecurity aspect has become an immediate necessity due to the rapid technological advancements that contribute to cyber threats.
Speaking at the Fourth ASEAN Digital Ministers’ Meeting (ADGMIN) in Singapore, he said it is important to strengthen confidence in the manner in which personal data is managed.
“With the escalating frequency of data breaches, it is justified that our citizens and international partners anticipate an effective privacy and security framework.
“Additionally, our objective is to align the legislation of Malaysia with global benchmarks, thereby creating a legislative climate that shares the same stance on data protection as both ASEAN member states and the broader international community,” he said.
He added the newly established ministry also marks the determination of the Malaysian government to participate actively in the global digital economy, as well as to remain a competitive force on the global stage.
To support this, he said Malaysia through the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), a government agency under the purview of the Ministry of Digital launched the Malaysia Digital (MD) strategic national initiative to succeed the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) to address key challenges in the digital transformation landscape of today and prepare Malaysia for a robust and agile digital economy ecosystem.
The MD initiative, in line with the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint, provides a more flexible company status and benefits, including enhanced tax incentives, refreshed Bill of Guarantees (BoG) and inclusive locations for business operation nationwide.
MD also introduces new catalytic digital projects under the PeMangkinMD programme, clustered across various industry sectors such as Digital Trade, Tourism, Agriculture and Manufacturing, utilising and adopting technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, Cloud, 5G and Robotics.
Through various programmes under the MD initiative Malaysia has trained over half-a-million entrepreneurs, with more than half of them being women entrepreneurs. This is significant as it enables the government to foster a robust, dynamic and inclusive digital economy in Malaysia.
To facilitate digital government transformation process, Gobind said an effective digital government is not only about policy but also about the tangible delivery of services.
“Malaysia has undertaken several initiatives to enhance its digital government capabilities and drive digital transformation across the country.
“A major component of this effort is MyDIGITAL which is projected to contribute 25.5 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2025,” he added.
ADGMIN 2024 serves as a pivotal platform that brings together the collaborative endeavours of the ASEAN member states in digitally transforming the region.
The theme of this year’s ADGMIN is “Building an Inclusive and Trusted Digital Ecosystem”.
— NNN-BERNAMA