Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo announced the development of seven guidelines under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (Act 709). These include the Notification of Data Breach Guidelines and the Data Protection Officers Guidelines.
Act 709 is legislation designed to oversee and regulate the processing of personal data in commercial transactions. It also addresses related matters and issues connected to the processing of personal data in the context of commercial activities.
The guidelines aim to establish minimum requirements and practical steps for managing and protecting personal data in the country, according to Bernama.
The Department of Personal Data Protection (JPDP) and Futurise Sdn Bhd, a company under the Ministry of Finance, will collaborate on their development.
The other five guidelines cover data portability, cross-border data transfer, data protection impact assessment, privacy by design, and profiling and automated decision making. The collaboration also involves digitalising the personal data protection portal.
Gobind stated that the swift economic progress and recent technological advancements led to a sudden surge in the handling of personal data, posing a risk of data leakage that requires regulation.
He highlighted the appointment of a data protection officer and the presence of a personal data breach notification as globally recognized practices. In this approach, the officer holds the responsibility of ensuring compliance with personal data protection laws among data users and conducting internal audits.
Gobind emphasised the need for a robust framework to safeguard personal data, citing the forthcoming amendments to Act 709, expected to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat sitting this year. The amendments aim to address current needs and align with the seven guidelines.
