Kuala lumpur: The Dewan Rakyat has today passed the Statistics Bill 2026, which is aimed, among other things, to replace the Statistics Act 1965 (Act 415) to establish a more modern and comprehensive legal framework aligned with the current data and statistics ecosystem. The Bill, tabled by Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, was passed by a majority voice vote after being debated by 21 Members of Parliament.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Act 415 has been in use for a long period spanning 61 years. Therefore, the updated legislation will enable the production of data and statistics that more accurately reflect the country's current situation, covering the social, economic, and environmental sectors, Akmal Nasrullah stated during his winding-up on the debate on the Statistics Bill 2026. Akmal Nasrullah emphasized the need for a more comprehensive and flexible legal framework to ensure that official statistics are accurate and responsive to users' needs, highlighting the importance of covering censuses, surveys, administrative data, geospatial data, and new data sources.
He added that the establishment of the National Statistics Council will provide a structured and authoritative coordination platform, ensuring that the development of the country's data and statistics is carried out in a more organised, strategic, and integrated manner. The drafting of the Bill was guided by recommendations, guidelines, and international best practices issued by the United Nations, the United Nations Statistical Commission, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. To prepare the Bill, seven sessions were held with ministries, government departments, state governments, local authorities, academic institutions, industry players, and the private sector, involving a total of 510 participants.
The Bill aims to strengthen the coordination of the national statistical system and ensure that the statistics produced are consistent, standardised, and comparable in line with the digital era. Akmal Nasrullah further explained that the Statistics Bill 2026 also strengthens data protection confidentiality in accordance with the United Nations Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics, which recognise confidentiality as one of the core principles of official statistics. All data collected is solely for the purpose of producing the country's official statistics and is subject to strict legal provisions.
In response to questions on the Repository Centre set up by the Department of Statistics Malaysia, Akmal Nasrullah mentioned that it will integrate data from various sources to produce the country's official statistics. The repository is expected to enhance data usability, support cross-sectoral analysis, prevent data from remaining in silos, and provide more comprehensive statistics for national development.