Merdeka SMSes - telcos violating Data Protection Act?

VOXPOP 'How can telcos use my mobile number without my permission? What happened to the Personal Data Protection Act?'

5.78mil invites to Merdeka celebration sent by SMS 

Whathappenedtoprivacy?: That's all very well, but who told the telecommunications companies (telcos) they could give out our handphone numbers to be used for such purposes?

I am so tired of receiving text messages from political parties as well as supposedly neutral bodies asking for our views on the general election.

I would have complained to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), but they were the ones behind the sending of the Merdeka SMSes.

Joepaul: It is unethical of the MCMC to ask the telcos to sponsor the SMS. The MCMC is the regulatory body governing the telcos, who will be hard put to refuse the MCMC.

It looks like corruption to me or at least abuse of power. The MACC should be looking into this, but then again we have a BN government. Sigh!

Jk7462000: Wow, 5.78 million SMSes sent out for Merdeka celebrations and how many turned up at Dataran Merdeka compared to Bukit Jalil Stadium?

Moreover, Bukit Jalil was filled by employees of government-linked companies (GLCs), government agencies, government-backed NGOs, etc, who basically forced their members to go, along with countless buses.

So much for 1Malaysia branding, huh? The curtain is indeed about to close on these goons.

Mushiro: Bersih 3.0 brought out many more people without the SMSes, without the TV and radio advertisements, without print media publicity, without the help from the police and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and without free goodies and buses.

Maybe they should learn from Bersih co-chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan and team.

Kheng: How can telcos use my mobile number without my permission? What happened to the Personal Data Protection Act?

Now we know why our complaints to the regulatory bodies relating to poor mobile coverage, dropped calls and bad Internet connections fall on deaf ears - "you scratch my back, I scratch yours."

Anonymous_3f68: Despite all the coaxing and cajoling with cash and transport, those who turned up were just enough to fill the stadium.

For A Better Malaysia: Dear Celcom, Maxis, DiGi and U-mobile, 48 percent of Malaysians voted in the 12th general election for change. Many of them are your clients. Please take a neutral position.

Anonymous_29dd: The telcos must be charged for breaching the Personal Data Protection Act. Disseminating client's personal data to third parities is unlawful and a breach of trust.

Mob1900: 'Sponsored' is another term for 'extortion'. You can bet the expenses will come from the taxpayer's coffers one way or the other. - Malaysiakini