THE House has passed the Personal Data Protection Bill 2009 which seeks to protect personal data from being misused through commercial transactions.
Information, Communications, Culture and Arts Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, in his winding-up speech, said the Bill placed high importance on the protection of sensitive personal data, such as information on a person’s health, physical attributes, mental status and religious preferences.
“A personal data protection commissioner will be appointed and an advisory committee created to advise the commissioner on the enforcement of the Bill.
“It will be their job to monitor the activities of commercial transactors of information, such as the Credit Tip Off Service Sdn Bhd (CTOS), in putting such information in their database.”
Rais said anyone found to have abused the data would face a RM200,000 fine or imprisonment of two years or both.
The minister told reporters later that private database collection agencies would have to strictly comply once the Bill becomes law.
“The Bill is a form of cyber-legislation and Malaysia is the first among Asean countries to introduce such a law.
“It’s modelled after the provisions that were outlined by some European countries in relation to the protection of national security, defence and basic human rights requirements,” he added.
Rais said the new law would ensure that personal data would not be given out except with the consent of their owners.
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