Kuala lumpur: The Cybercrime Bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament this March, as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who also serves as the Minister of Rural and Regional Development. Ahmad Zahid noted that the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) is in the final stages of preparing the Bill, which will replace the existing Computer Crimes Act 1997 (Act 563).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the new Cybercrime Bill aims to address gaps in the current legislation, enhancing the ability to tackle cybercrime threats and reinforcing national cybersecurity alongside consumer protection in the digital space. The Bill plans to incorporate provisions for both cyber-enabled and cyber-dependent crimes, adopting a comprehensive and modern approach.
Ahmad Zahid highlighted a significant rise in online fraud crimes, with total losses exceeding RM2.9 billion last year, marking an increase of more than 86 percent compared to RM1.574 billion in 2024. Up to September 2025 alone, losses had already reached RM1.919 billion.
He pointed out the dangers posed by the misuse of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) by cybercriminals, including the creation of deepfakes. These pose substantial harm to victims and have the potential to escalate into major tools for information warfare, particularly through misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation (MDM) efforts.
The Deputy Prime Minister referenced the Russia-Ukraine conflict as an example where deepfakes and MDM have been instrumental in shaping perceptions, undermining morale, and influencing international support.
To safeguard national digital security and sovereignty, NACSA is implementing various measures, including addressing AI technology, sovereign cloud, and post-quantum security. Among these initiatives is the development of Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Guidelines, enhancing cryptographic security, and collaborating with the Malaysian Cryptology Technology and Management Centre (PTPKM) to ensure post-quantum readiness.
Additionally, NACSA and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) are spearheading the development of a sovereign cloud to mitigate risks associated with foreign jurisdictional reach.