MALAYSIANS have been urged to place their trust in the country's data protection framework, with Deputy Minister of Digital Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong assuring that personal information is safeguarded under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (Act 709).
Speaking at the launch of AIRFEST 2025 – the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Festival – at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in Skudai on Monday, Wilson underlined the government’s ongoing efforts to uphold data security and maintain public confidence.
“Parliament passed Act 709 to ensure users’ data is protected. CyberSecurity Malaysia also monitors the system 24/7 to detect and fend off hacking attempts,” he said.
“We must have confidence in the national data security system. Without it, foreign investors may hesitate to invest in Malaysia. With laws like Act 709 in place, we should trust that our data is secure,” he added.
His remarks come amid renewed public concern following a recent South China Morning Post report stating that the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had requested mobile phone operators to provide call data from January to March.
MCMC later clarified that the information collected did not contain any personal identifiers or data capable of identifying individuals.
Wilson's comments sought to reassure the public that regulatory oversight and technical safeguards are in place to prevent abuse and to ensure Malaysia remains a secure digital environment for both citizens and investors. - June 10, 2025
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