Existing cybercrime laws need to be reviewed following technological advancement - IGP

KUALA LUMPUR - The existing Malaysian laws related to cybercrime need to be reviewed by including the element of fraud through computer software and devices.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said this is because cybercrimes are expected to continue to proliferate in the near future due to the speed of technology, especially with the generative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

He said that AI experts and scientists are now duly worried about the capacity of AI that can self-control computer commands to make certain changes.

"Although on the whole, it may be used for a good purpose, it can be used for criminal intent such as deepfakes (digitally altering a face to fake a person/identity), misinformation and disinformation and it can even change the social fabric.

"As an initial step, PDRM will intensify community awareness programmes regarding this rising crime trend,” he told Bernama recently.

He said the Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) welcomes all industry players to look at how developed countries deal with cybercrime and the legal provisions they use so that Malaysians can be protected from becoming victims.

In agreeing with Razarudin, Bukit Aman CCID director Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said existing laws related to cybercrime need to be reviewed and harmonised with foreign countries to deal with the threat of cybercrime.

He said a detailed study of the law needs to be done by the legislators because the police is only an executor of law enforcement.

In addition, PDRM will also continue to raise public awareness about cybercrime which is expected to continue growing in the future in line with the galloping speed of technology, especially with the advent of AI.

Therefore, police personnel need to improve their knowledge, skills and abilities to deal with and investigate cases related to cybercrime.

According to him, cybercrime cases are always changing with the times, so police need to be equipped with facilities and devices to prevent and investigate cybercrime.

On Monday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim when tabling the proposal for the Mid-Term Review of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) in Parliament, was reported to have said that almost 55,000 cases of cybercrime, which caused a loss of RM1.8 billion, were reported for the period 2021 until July this year.

Accordingly, the government will amend existing laws to increase the effectiveness of combating cybercrime activities, he said. - BERNAMA