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Call On The Government To Upgrade The Criminal Investigation Unit To Deal Especially With Destructive Computer Viruses Statement by Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Vice-Chairman and MP for Kepong on the devastation worldwide wrought by 'I Love You' computer bug. 6 May 2000 | |||||||
| The National Information Technology Council, NITC, has formulated National Information Technology Agenda, NITA, to ensure a healthy approach towards making Malaysia a modern civil society with electronic,e's, and knowledge, k's, things and globalised concepts. Multimedia Super Corridor, MSC, Development Corporation, MDC, has been set up to promote a workable MSC. The Government has introduced many programmes such as allocating RM50 million for Demonstrator Application Grant Scheme, DAGS, to give an opportunity for Malaysians to create software and contents which are truly Malaysian. The MSC Research and Development Grant Scheme, MGS, has an initial allocation of RM100 million. We still have a long way to go. Let us not create bureaucracy. Besides the lack of skilled workers and experts, among other things, we do not have a credible Criminal Investigation Unit to deal solely with computer crimes such as destructive viruses. The police claims that it has computer crimes unit. But, this type of unit has to be upgraded to handle myriad different kinds of bugs that cause the world billions of ringgits. Other countries such as U.S.A. are more sophisticated. But, they still have to prove that they are able to combat computer crimes like 'I Love You" virus. Last year, Melissa virus attacked the globe, confounding the cyber world. Yesterday, hell breaks loose. 'I Love You' virus, thought to originate from the Philippines (known not just for the Sipadan hostage crisis) struck | |
the globe especially North America, damaging over 2.5 million computer files and incurring losses amounting to tens of billions of US dollars. The self-replicationg e-mail virus affects many companies around the world, leading to shutdown of several computer networks especially those using Microsoft Corporation's Outlook e-mail software. 'I Love You' and its copycat are miniature programmes, spreading itself very rapidly. We have no defence against them. Asia, Australia and New Zealand are not so badly hit, probably over 100,000 computer files are damaged. By 2.00 p.m. yesterday, Malaysia was hit but not too severely. As we advance towards a more sophisticated cyberworld, we need more effective laws to deal with bugs and other crimes. It is not enough to have DAGS and MGS. We must find ways to combat bugs such as Melissa and 'I Love You'. DAGS and MGS should also finance those who create antiviruses. How many Malaysian companies and government departments are hit by "I Love You'? How far has the Malaysian police followed the bug or its trail of destruction? The Criminal Investigation Unit dealing with computer crimes has to be upgraded constantly. It should not be starved of funds and expert personnel. It should be a priority for NITA and MDC to help find ways to save Malaysia and the world from the scourge of computer viruses. On the one hand, they must be certain that all programmes succeed. On the other hand, they must assist in fighting computer crimes.
Dr Tan Seng Giaw | |||||
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