The Digital Ministry is set to introduce the Digital Commission by the end of this year, according to Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.
This move aims to establish a robust data governance framework as Malaysia positions itself as a regional tech hub, attracting significant investments from global giants like Google, Microsoft, and ByteDance (TikTok), according to The Edge Malaysia.
Gobind highlighted the necessity of having adequate policies and legal frameworks to protect data and encourage its use while ensuring security remains a priority.
Currently, Malaysia has a Data Commissioner under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010, overseeing data protection.
However, there is no dedicated Data Commission with broader authority to regulate the data landscape.
Gobind stated that there’s only a committee right now, and he will be using this committee as a platform to develop the Data Commission.
He plans to propose to the government to elevate the existing committee to a commission, focusing more on data aspects, which he believes is crucial moving forward.
The Digital Ministry aims to table the Data Commission Bill by the end of this year at the next Parliament sitting or by March 2025.
What is Data Commission?
A Data Commission is an independent authority responsible for ensuring that individuals’ personal data is protected.
For example, in Ireland, it’s known as Data Protection Commission and they enforce data protection laws and regulations.
Their main functions include:
- Enforcing penalties for non-compliance.
- Monitoring compliance with data protection laws.
- Investigating complaints related to data breaches.
- Providing guidance to organisations on data protection practices.
We expected that the Data Commission in Malaysia will operate in a similar manner.
