Latest news with #PahangMCAYouth
The Star
30-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Double standards in cybersecurity? Why are tech giants above Malaysian law?
THE Cyber Security (Exemption) Order 2025 (P.U. (A) 47), signed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, officially came into effect on Feb 1, 2025. Issued under Section 61 of the Cyber Security Act 2024, this order grants full exemption to nine major multinational technology corporations, including Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, operating in Malaysia from compliance with the Act's obligations. Pahang MCA Youth holds deep concerns about the serious implications of this exemption, which include: 1. Exempting these companies from mandatory reporting of cybersecurity breaches to the government; 2. Exempting them from compliance with national data processing and information security standards; 3. Restricting the government's authority to investigate or enforce penalties, even in cases of data leaks; 4. Creating an unequal legal landscape, where foreign and local businesses are subject to vastly different regulatory obligations (double standards). These scenarios raise several pressing questions: - Why has the government granted foreign corporations to what amounts to legal immunity? - Who will safeguard the data security and digital rights of Malaysian citizens? - Why must local businesses bear the full burden of regulation, while foreign firms may operate without identical constraints? - Does this decision signal a compromise of national sovereignty in exchange for short-term investment gains? Pahang MCA Youth firmly believes that technological collaboration and foreign investment must not come at the expense of national interest or legal integrity. Safeguarding public trust and regulatory authority should remain paramount. Therefore, we urge the following actions: 1. The Prime Minister, Communications Minister and Digital Minister must provide a transparent explanation for this Exemption Order, detailing its justification and potential consequences. 2. Parliament should establish a special Select Committee to scrutinise the legality and national security risks posed by this exemption. 3. The government should immediately suspend the Order and conduct a thorough review to ensure uniformity and necessity. Data sovereignty is not negotiable. The rule of law must apply equally to all. We cannot accept a system where enforcement is stringent for some (Malaysians) and absent for others (foreigners). WONG SIEW MUN MCA Youth Pahang Chief
The Star
20-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Both sides back MCA's Wong
PETALING JAYA: Youth wings from across the political spectrum have come out in support of Pahang MCA Youth chief Wong Siew Mun, who is under police investigation over her recent remarks on the government's mobile phone data collection initiative. The leaders criticised the investigation as an overreach, saying that Wong was merely raising legitimate concerns relating to public interest. Shared concerns: (From left) Bastien, Hafiz, Faiz and Neow have defended Wong. Barisan Nasional Youth secretary Hafiz Ariffin expressed shock that Wong was summoned to Bukit Aman, noting that the government has pledged to uphold freedom of speech. Hafiz said Wong was simply questioning the move to instruct telcos to provide anonymised mobile data to the government. 'This isn't a political issue. It concerns the privacy of Malaysians. As a political activist, she has every right to raise it,' he said. Barisan Youth communications director Neow Choo Seong echoed that sentiment, urging the Communications Ministry and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to re-evaluate their approach to handling such matters. He argued that instead of suppressing dissent, authorities should allow open dialogue and be accepting of differing views. 'We must tolerate differing views and prioritise the people's issues. That's the essence of real reform,' said Neow, who is also MCA Youth information chief. Segamat Umno deputy chief Datuk Bastien Onn said that if Wong is simply voicing grassroots concerns, the authorities should not pursue further action against her. 'It's within the norm of freedom of speech, where it is incumbent on every politician to speak up for the people,' he said. 'The issue is, how will the police handle this without making the other person feel oppressed?' Bersatu Youth vice-chief Faiz Rahmad also defended Wong, saying her remarks were based on publicly available information, including international news reports and government statements. Wong had her statement recorded at Bukit Aman on Wednesday. She is being investigated under Section 505 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, for allegedly causing public alarm and misusing network facilities. Earlier this month, MCMC clarified that the Mobile Phone Data collection initiative only involves eight types of anonymised data from network providers, and does not include personally identifiable details such as names, IC numbers or phone numbers. Instead, the data types included are the Mobile Station International Subscriber Directory Number, unique ID, mobile country code and GPS coordinates of telco towers, among others. However, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong has called for the initiative to be halted, warning that it could erode public trust and lead to abuse. Dr Wee also questioned the effectiveness of anonymisation, arguing that with advanced technologies, sensitive personal information could still be revealed.
The Star
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
MCA urges govt to clarify data collection practices, not penalise public inquiry
KUALA LUMPUR: The government must respond to public concerns with transparency rather than resort to punitive measures against those who raise legitimate questions, says Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon. The MCA deputy president was referring to the investigation launched against Pahang MCA Youth chief Wong Siew Mun after she posted a TikTok video on June 7 questioning if the government, via telecommunications companies, is collecting personal mobile data for surveillance purposes. 'This shouldn't be a 'don't ask, don't tell' situation,' Dr Mah said, stressing that Wong's concerns reflect growing unease among Malaysians over the lack of clarity on how personal data is being handled and whether consent is truly respected. He said the issue should be addressed with facts, not fear. 'A healthy, confident government does not punish those who raise questions," said Dr Mah in a statement on Tuesday (June 17). "Democracy means tolerating uncomfortable questions and opposing views,' he added. Also read: MCA will fully support Pahang Youth chief, says Dr Wee Dr Mah said Wong's queries were neither baseless nor conspiratorial, but instead raised valid concerns about data transparency, especially in an age of digital transformation and open data initiatives. He criticised the authorities' frequent use of Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, originally intended to curb misuse of network services—saying it has become a habitual tool to silence voices of public interest. 'What truly deserves scrutiny is not Wong's video, but whether the government is collecting personal data without consent,' he said. Also read: Dr Wee questions probe against MCA youth leader over mobile data criticism MCA, he stressed, is not advocating for unregulated speech, but for a government that holds itself to a higher standard of openness and accountability. 'If the government has nothing to hide, it can answer the question by not criminalising the inquiry," added Dr Mah
The Star
13-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Dr Wee questions probe against MCA youth leader over mobile data criticism
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong has questioned the authorities for probing one of the party's youth leaders over the recent controversial private mobile data collection. The MCA president said that Wong Siew Mun, who is Pahang MCA Youth chief, was contacted by police for posting a series of videos criticising the latest move by the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) on social media. 'However, since she's still in the hospital, she will meet police once discharged,' he told reporters at the MCA headquarters on Friday (June 13). Dr Wee said that he was saddened by the action on Wong. 'I said it first, I quoted news reports, and now you are after a little girl?' he said. He added that Wong was not the first individual who commented on the issue, as she was only quoting news reported by the media. 'Are you calling others who spoke over this matter too?' he added. Dr Wee's comments came following the government's order demanding telcos in Malaysia to hand over detailed records of phone calls and Internet logs for the first three months of this year for the government's 'Mobile Phone Data' project. Earlier, he said that the move could undermine users' data privacy and urged for it to be called off. Dr Wee also outlined several proposals to better protect sensitive mobile data. The suggestions included a legal reform on the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) by including government agencies, transparent anonymisation protocols, implementation of consent mechanisms, and making public consultation mandatory.
The Star
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
ECRL's success validates BN's competency in planning mega projects, says Pahang MCA Youth chief
PETALING JAYA: The success of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project shows Barisan Nasional's competence in planning major public transportation projects that benefit the people, says Pahang MCA Youth chief Wong Siew Mun. She welcomed the Transport Minister's announcement that the project, through the ECRL Industrial Skills Training Programme (PLKI-ECRL), which will generate 3,200 job opportunities. "Unfortunately, the project was politicised by the then-opposition, who alleged that the Barisan government was 'selling the country' to China merely because China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC) was a partner in the project. "Now, the ECRL project continues and is now being proudly championed by the Transport Minister (Anthony Loke) as a testament to the country's commitment to developing its rail network and building a better future for the nation," she said in a statement on Thursday (May 8). On Tuesday, Loke announced that the PLKI-ECRL was focused on preparing for the Operations and Maintenance Manual (O&M) phase for the ECRL project, and projected that it would benefit a total of 3,200 trainees during this phase. Wong said there was an undeniable sense of pride seeing mega projects initiated by the previous Barisan government still bringing benefits to the people and the country, even though it was relentlessly politicised and slandered, leading to a change of government in the 2018 General Election. "One can only wonder how much better things could have been if Barisan's mega projects had not been irresponsibly politicised or turned into targets of slander by the Opposition. "Imagine the benefits the rakyat could already be enjoying today and the economic spillover that would have been realised had these projects not been delayed due to vindictive politics. "It is hoped that politicians will be more responsible in their conduct and refrain from hurling baseless accusations or slander merely to gain political mileage by inciting public anger and hatred," she added.
