PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Bar has been in communication with the Department of Personal Data Protection on enhancing the accountability of private and public entities when data breaches occur.
Its president George Varughese added that the Bar was always open to working with the relevant authorities to improve the legal provisions in order to better safeguard the personal data of individuals.
“Companies and authorities holding personal data are to act transparently in instances of breaches.
“Informing the individuals whose data has been breached, and the authorities, would be in line with good corporate governance. The introduction of legal provisions to implement such disclosures needs to be studied,” he said in a statement today.
He was commenting on the personal data breach of millions of individuals, first reported in October by technology site lowyat.net.
The leaked data, which cybersecurity experts have said was extensive enough to allow criminals to create fraudulent identities to make online purchases, included lists of mobile phone numbers, identification card numbers, home addresses, and SIM card data of 46.2 million customers.
It also contained personal data from some medical associations and a jobs portal.
Police and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) are said to be investigating the breach.
Varughese praised the authorities for their immediate response, adding that it was in the people’s interests that the outcome of the investigation is made public.
He said however that awareness of the rights of individuals under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 was still lacking.
“The public is at present still parting with their data where there has not been due compliance with the act.” -FMT
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