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Please Ensure That High-Level Internet Security Would Not Jeopardise Freedom & IT Development Statement by Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Vice-Chairman and MP for Kepong on the setting up of high-level Internet Security Committee by the Government. 14 April 2000 | |||||||
| Comparing to advanced countries, Malaysia is well behind in its information technology, IT, development. The number of Internet users is increasing from 770,000 to one million next year. This is a relatively small number with the advent of Multimedia Super Corridor, MSC, with electronic government as one of the seven applications, e-commerce and K-economy. Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced the formation of a high-level Internet Security Committee headed by the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Halim Ali. "We must be confident that the data is secure," he added. Tan Sri Halim said that Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (Mampu) [uder the Prime Minister's Department] has a new division to look into all aspects of the security of government websites and information technology networks. Apparently the Government is going to appoint an expert from one of the local universities to chair the division, undertaking security audits, accredit IT security officers, provide training, set up a cryptology system and computer emergency response team, formulate policies and standards | |
in IT security. In the last two days, we debated in Parliament the need for high tech security laws to grapple with all sorts of IT crimes incuding the illegal withdrawal of automated teller machine, ATM, from banks. IT has been meant for good, but some people have misused it. The evils we bring to ourselves are the hardest to bear. The ATM crime reflects the relative lack of effective methods to deal with it. Bank Negara (Central Bank), individual banks and police have to search hard for counter measures. We all feel the urgency for effective laws to stamp out the increasingly sophisticated IT crimes. With Internet Security Committee and the stringent laws, we hope that Heaven's vengeance is slow but sure. Stringent IT laws and security measures can be used not only on criminals but also on genuine people who come out with ideas which the Government does not like. We should always remember that it is the flowering of ideas that spur the development of IT. On the one hand, we would like to fight against IT criminals. On the other hand, we would like to see that the Government does not abuse stringent laws against freedom and IT development.
Dr Tan Seng Giaw | |||||
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