A SPECIAL committee has been set to combat cybercrime in the country, said Communications and Multimedia Minister Salleh Said Keruak.

The cybercrime special committee is necessary so that investigation and prosecution can be placed under one body reporting directly to the cabinet. 

“Presently, there is no enforcement agency that deals specifically with cybercrime,” he said in a statement today after chairing the first committee meeting at Parliament.

The establishment of the special committee was approved in a cabinet meeting on November 3. 

The meeting today decided that the special committee would function, among others, as a focal point to the cabinet in cybercrime-related matters and provide consultation services to it in regard to policy and strategy.

The committee would also facilitate sharing of information among enforcement agencies, optimise various sources among enforcement agencies, review existing laws where necessary and prepare committee reports.

“The meeting also agreed on the setting up of an action committee headed by National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) to discuss matters for decision at the special committee level,” he said.

The special committee to combat abuse of social media would be merged with the cybercrime special committee as both shared similar functions and responsibilities.

He said the members comprised of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Azalina Othman Said and representatives from the Home Ministry, Attorney-General’s Chambers, his ministry, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), NACSA, National Security Council, Royal Malaysia Police and Health Ministry.

Additional committee members consist of representatives from the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry, Securities Commission Malaysia, Bank Negara Malaysia and Department of Islamic Development Malaysia.

He also disclosed that MCMC received 1,792 public complaints between January and September this year compared with 804 in the same period last year.

The cases included bullying, sexual harassment, threats, intimidation, abuse of information, details or personal photos to shame individuals.

MCMC also received 2,047 complaints of network threats between January and August. – Bernama, November 20, 2017.