The proposed law, which replaces the Computer Crimes Act 1997, is aimed at addressing increasingly complex threats online.
The bill, comprising eight parts and 61 clauses, which was drafted to repeal the Computer Crimes Act 1997, was passed by a majority vote after being debated by 21 senators.
It was unanimously approved without amendments at the committee stage.
During the winding-up debate, deputy rural and regional development minister Rubiah Wang said all offences under the bill are extraditable, as they carry a minimum prison sentence of three years, Bernama reported.
Rubiah said that under the Extradition Act 1992, any offence punishable with imprisonment of at least one year is classified as an extraditable offence.
She said the government will continue to strengthen international cooperation through mechanisms such as mutual legal assistance, Interpol, Aseanapol, and police-to-police collaboration, as well as by adhering to the Budapest Convention, and the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime.
To obtain digital evidence and testimonies, including conducting searches and seizures abroad and tracking perpetrators, the government will rely on provisions under the Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Act 2002.
Rubiah clarified that the bill does not seek to regulate technologies like artificial intelligence per se. Instead, it is designed to allow legal action against the abuse of such technologies for criminal activities, including fraud, election interference, and sexual exploitation.
She also said the blll is not aimed at curbing freedom of speech, academic inquiry, or journalism conducted within the bounds of the law.
During the debate, Salehuddin Saidin urged the government to review the bill to ensure heavier penalties are imposed on large-scale online fraud syndicates.
He also called for the inclusion of a mechanism for direct compensation to victims.
Dr Wan Martina Wan Yusoff suggested that the bill should include a specific section on victims’ rights, covering the right to apply for court orders to remove content, seek compensation and restore digital identity.
Dr RA Lingeshwaran called on financial service providers and telcos to move beyond SMS OTP towards more secure biometric or cryptographic authentication systems, and to implement regular, independent cybersecurity audits.
The bill had earlier been presented for its second reading in the Dewan Negara by deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. - FMT
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