Govt to introduce ‘kill switch’ to fight online fraud, says Azalina

 

Azalina Othman Said said 71,631 fraud reports, involving losses of RM245 million, were received by the National Scam Response Centre from Oct 12, 2022 till Jan 31 this year.

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is working out a legal system that will provide a kill switch to automatically act against fraudulent activities on any online domain or platform, says law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said.

She said the government is also drafting a new law that will include provisions on the kill switch’s enforcement and increase the nation’s cybersecurity with more legal detail and clarity.

Most of the existing laws (related to cybersecurity and online crime) were drafted before 2010.

“That is why the law needs to be amended, not only in terms of substance but also procedure, so we can help the government face the issues occurring today,” Bernama reported her as saying during Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat.

She said this in reply to a question from Suhaizan Kaiat (PH-Pulai), who wanted to know the government’s efforts to address the problem of online fraud, which is becoming more prevalent.

Azalina said several other laws are also being reviewed, including the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, the Penal Code, and the Criminal Procedure Code to enable the return of stolen money to victims.

She said as many as 71,631 fraud reports, involving loss of RM245 million, were received by the National Scam Response Centre from Oct 12, 2022 till Jan 31 this year. - FMT