The government will introduce major legislative reforms to keep pace with the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), said Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo yesterday.
He said the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) was drafting a Cyber Crimes Bill to replace the Computer Crimes Act 1997 and would address the threat of deepfakes — digitally altered images or videos used for malicious purposes.
He added that Putrajaya was reviewing the Evidence Act 1950 and the Contracts Act 1950 to determine the necessary amendments.
“This is to align with the evolving AI technology landscape, including its implications on contract formation and execution, as well as the integrity of evidence.”
Gobind, in responding to a query from Roy Angau Gingkoi (GPS-Lubok Antu), said his ministry was also taking measures to regulate policies and ethical considerations involving AI.
These include enforcing data processor responsibilities under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 and developing guidelines on automated decision-making and profiling.
He said Putrajaya would tackle harmful content and protect digital infrastructure through the Cyber Security Act 2024 and the Online Safety Act 2024.
A draft of the AI governance bill is being developed to address risks and establish responsible governance practices for the use of AI across all sectors.
The National Artificial Intelligence Office is preparing a proposal paper for an AI regulatory framework that covers risks, harms, incident reporting and ethical principles.
Gobind said this would form the basis of the proposed bill’s scope, which would adopt a risk-based approach to ensure a safe and responsible AI ecosystem.
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