Latest Update on the Proposed Amendments to the Personal Data Protection Act 2010

In 2019, the Department of Personal Data Protection ("JPDP") issued the Public Consultation Paper on the Review of the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 ("PDPA") (“Public Consultation Paper”), containing 22 proposed amendments to the PDPA. In our previous Client Update, we provided an overview of the proposed amendments as set forth by the JPDP in the Public Consultation Paper. As a follow-up to the said Update, we wish to highlight further updates on the proposed amendments under the Public Consultation Paper, pursuant to a recent conference organised and conducted by the JPDP, where representatives of the JPDP have stated that the JPDP has further shortlisted the proposed amendments to the PDPA. The shortlisted proposed amendments have reportedly been submitted to the Attorney General Chambers of Malaysia for their further review.

Pursuant to the updates provided by the JPDP during the conference, this Update seeks to provide a brief summary as to the shortlisted/finalised amendments to the PDPA, which would be relevant to data users in order to prepare for the upcoming amendments to the PDPA.

The Government of Malaysia Launches the Malaysia Digital Initiative

On 4 July 2022, the Government of Malaysia launched a new digital economy initiative, Malaysia Digital ("Malaysia Digital Initiative"), which is intended to succeed and replace the 25-year-old Multimedia Super Corridor agenda to become the primary national strategic initiative on digital economy in Malaysia. This initiative was established by the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia, through its digital economy agency, the Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation ("MDEC"). The Government of Malaysia, through MDEC, will award Malaysia Digital Status to eligible companies that participate in and undertake any of the prescribed activities under the Malaysia Digital Initiative. Malaysia Digital Status companies will be entitled to a set of incentives, rights and privileges from the Government, subject to necessary approvals and compliance to applicable laws and regulations. 

In light of the introduction of this new initiative, we seek to provide you with a brief overview of the Malaysia Digital Initiative as well as the Malaysia Digital Status offering.