Fahmi says not ready yet to table changes to Communications and Multimedia Act
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 4 — The government is not yet ready to change the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) 1998 in Parliament, its minister Fahmi Fadzil said today.
He said his ministry is still getting input from various groups.
“We are not yet ready to bring the proposed amendment to Parliament because we have to ensure that the engagement process includes and collects feedback from various parties to ensure that the amendments prioritise the safety of children and women.
“We will be able to handle the issues that are often encountered better,” he told reporters at the National Institute of Public Administration here when asked about plans to table amendments that aim to keep the law up to speed with technological developments in today’s society, such as cybercrimes.
When asked if the proposals had been discussed in Cabinet meetings, Fahmi replied that they were still in the coordination phase.
“Once the Bill is ready, it will be brought to the Cabinet for further consideration,” he said.
Fahmi had mentioned possible changes to the CMA to strengthen the regulatory framework related to network security and reliability back in February.
On September 17, national news agency Bernama cited Fahmi’s deputy, Teo Nie Ching indicating that amendments to the CMA could be tabled in Parliament early next year.
She said that it is necessary to review the law to ensure that its existing provisions are sufficient for addressing various offences, especially cybercrimes.
