According to Lawyers for Liberty (LFL), the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 needs to be immediately amended to include responsibility and liability for the protection and security of data collected by the government and its agencies. This call for amendments comes in response to the launch of the Central Database Hub (Padu) system, which has significant flaws involving sensitive public data.
Zaid Malek, the director of LFL, stated that the government should suspend the implementation of Padu until necessary amendments are made to the PDPA. He emphasized the need for the government to hold itself legally responsible before launching any data collection platform to ensure the secure protection of the collected data.
Zaid also highlighted previous instances of data misuse by the government, such as the dissemination of propaganda through public data. He pointed out the legitimate concerns regarding the protection and security of the data collected by Padu, underlining that section 3(1) of the PDPA currently exempts the government from its application.
This exemption raises concerns about the potential misuse of public data for political purposes, beyond the declared purpose of targeted subsidies.
As Padu relies on a centralized platform to collect data, Zaid emphasized the necessity of prioritizing data security. He expressed distrust in the government’s track record of data protection, citing numerous reports of data theft from multiple agencies, leaving users vulnerable to scams and fraud.
Referring to a previous announcement by Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli about an Omnibus Bill to address data sharing, Zaid questioned the lack of details about the Bill and its timing in relation to the Padu scheme. He stressed that verbal assurances from the government regarding data protection are not sufficient.
Zaid also highlighted the need for a system to inform affected users in case of data breaches, allowing them to take necessary action against responsible parties. Without the necessary amendments to PDPA before the launch of Padu, public trust in the protection of their data remains uncertain, leaving them vulnerable to misuse by the government and malicious individuals.
![Determann’s Field Guide to Data Privacy Law: International Corporate Compliance [5 ed.]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
