Freedom without privacy is no freedom at all

Free Malaysia Today

28-04-2025

From Mahathir Rais
A culture that glorifies invading privacy is not progress. It is decay masquerading as vigilance. Social media was created to connect us, yet it has bred a culture where people's personal data, private income, private lives, and even personal choices are treated as public property.
Today, we face the real consequences of this shift. It is no longer rare to see personal information leaked, reputations destroyed overnight, and baseless allegations spread faster than truth can catch up. In the race for attention and influence, the basic human right to privacy has often become the first casualty.
Privacy is not a privilege. It is the foundation of dignity, freedom, and peace of mind. Without it, we invite fear into our daily lives, fear that anything we say, do, or even think can be weaponised against us.
Liberty is hollow without the protection of privacy. In a digital world, safeguarding privacy is not a secondary concern. It is essential for our safety, our stability, and the public's trust in the nation.
Recent incidents have shown how fragile these protections have become. Some social media figures, driven by the pursuit of followers and fame, have weaponised private information, dragging even national institutions into controversy. Content that provokes racial, religious, or royal tensions is not free speech. It is a threat to the foundations of our society.
No individual, no matter how influential, has the right to position themselves as judge and executioner in the court of public opinion. No citizen is entitled to reveal another person's private life as a tool of intimidation. The law must be the line that holds, even when social media storms rage.
The reckless exposure of private lives does more than harm individuals. It erodes social trust, damages Malaysia's reputation globally, and weakens investor and public confidence. True national stability depends as much on respecting individual rights as it does on political governance.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission has made commendable efforts to act when abuses occur. But enforcement alone is not enough. Malaysia's existing Personal Data Protection Act 2010 mainly regulates how businesses handle personal information.
However, it does not fully protect individuals when private data is exposed, leaked, or abused between citizens, especially on social media. What we truly need is a full Privacy Act that criminalises the misuse of private information by any party. Privacy protection must go beyond businesses. It must defend every individual's right to live without fear of being violated or harassed in a digital world.
We urgently need a dedicated Privacy Act that makes it unmistakably clear: violations of personal privacy are serious crimes, and perpetrators will face real and serious consequences.
Those who irresponsibly incite issues involving race, religion, and royalty, or who misuse private information to harass, intimidate, or damage reputations must be held accountable. Stronger enforcement is not about restricting freedom of speech. It is about defending society against the toxic effects of slander, harassment, and misinformation.
Nations that value their people, from Europe to parts of the US, have already moved forward with strong privacy protections. They understand that safeguarding personal dignity strengthens democracy. We must not fall behind.
Communications minister Fahmi Fadzil has proven his dedication to strengthening digital responsibility. Now, that spirit must be translated into a firm legal framework that closes gaps, removes ambiguity, and protects citizens from digital harm.
Freedom without responsibility is not freedom. Openness without respect is not progress. A mature democracy is one where speech is free, but boundaries that protect dignity and truth are firmly upheld.
Protecting privacy is not about silencing voices. It is about ensuring that no one lives in fear of being dragged into public humiliation or harm. Freedom must walk hand in hand with responsibility.
Malaysia must act now. If we move decisively, we can build a safer, healthier digital culture, where dignity is preserved, trust is strengthened, and freedom remains meaningful.
Because when we protect privacy, we are not just defending individuals. We are defending the future of a society worth believing in.
Mahathir Rais is the former secretary of Bersatu and Perikatan Nasional's federal territories chapters.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.