Cyber laws ready
TheStar: 25 Sept. 2007
By PANG HONG YEE
MUCH has been said about greater accessibility, speed and improved efficiency of public service anchored by the government’s efforts in setting up online domains to facilitate key transactions.
But have you ever thought, with a click of the mouse, you are actually conveying sensitive personal particulars and finance-related information over the virtual world?
Questions abound: “Is it safe? Am I protected by the law if something untoward happens?”
The Electronic Government Activities Act 2007 (EGAA) will change the way you view such online transactions.
The Act accords the same legal status to “online messages” (governing any information sent, received and stored via electronic means) as manual documents.
Born out of an initiative by the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) in the Prime Minister’s Department, EGAA plays the role of standardising all existing operating mechanisms of virtual public delivery services rendered by the various agencies and ministries.
The Act seeks to ensure that agencies providing electronic services protect the public interest via a host of authentication, security and transaction history measures.
“When you apply for a licence or permit, lodge or download a document, conduct payment, register yourself or fill in a form with any government agency through the Internet or a kiosk, you are actually divulging information, which may otherwise be confidential, to non-related parties,” explains s MAMPU’s Deputy Director General (ICT) Dr Nor Aliah Mohd Zahri.
“Hence the legality and security issues of government transactions arise. We want to give equal legal standing to online transactions, as in the case of physical ones, to further enhance the public’s trust on virtual public service delivery.”
EGAA acts as umbrella instrument to cover transactions carried out under other laws without having the need to amend each of these laws for the purpose of providing electronic services. EGAA is also expected to provide a conducive atmosphere for the creation of a “network effect” that would spur greater demand for high-speed bandwidth and other pioneering electronic applications.
The Act has been passed by both Houses of Parliament and is awaiting royal assent before notification in the Government Gazette.
MAMPU will brief the agencies and also carry out public information programmes.
“EGAA is meant to simplify the implementation of electronic transactions between the public and government agencies and bodies, without contravening any existing laws that are being enforced,” said Dr Nor Aliah.
With this, the Government hopes that citizens’ worries are addressed, queues at service counters cut short, and complaints, reduced.
By PANG HONG YEE
MUCH has been said about greater accessibility, speed and improved efficiency of public service anchored by the government’s efforts in setting up online domains to facilitate key transactions.
But have you ever thought, with a click of the mouse, you are actually conveying sensitive personal particulars and finance-related information over the virtual world?
Questions abound: “Is it safe? Am I protected by the law if something untoward happens?”
The Electronic Government Activities Act 2007 (EGAA) will change the way you view such online transactions.
The Act accords the same legal status to “online messages” (governing any information sent, received and stored via electronic means) as manual documents.
Born out of an initiative by the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) in the Prime Minister’s Department, EGAA plays the role of standardising all existing operating mechanisms of virtual public delivery services rendered by the various agencies and ministries.
The Act seeks to ensure that agencies providing electronic services protect the public interest via a host of authentication, security and transaction history measures.
“When you apply for a licence or permit, lodge or download a document, conduct payment, register yourself or fill in a form with any government agency through the Internet or a kiosk, you are actually divulging information, which may otherwise be confidential, to non-related parties,” explains s MAMPU’s Deputy Director General (ICT) Dr Nor Aliah Mohd Zahri.
“Hence the legality and security issues of government transactions arise. We want to give equal legal standing to online transactions, as in the case of physical ones, to further enhance the public’s trust on virtual public service delivery.”
EGAA acts as umbrella instrument to cover transactions carried out under other laws without having the need to amend each of these laws for the purpose of providing electronic services. EGAA is also expected to provide a conducive atmosphere for the creation of a “network effect” that would spur greater demand for high-speed bandwidth and other pioneering electronic applications.
The Act has been passed by both Houses of Parliament and is awaiting royal assent before notification in the Government Gazette.
MAMPU will brief the agencies and also carry out public information programmes.
“EGAA is meant to simplify the implementation of electronic transactions between the public and government agencies and bodies, without contravening any existing laws that are being enforced,” said Dr Nor Aliah.
With this, the Government hopes that citizens’ worries are addressed, queues at service counters cut short, and complaints, reduced.
posted by cbs | 26.9.07
