KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 15 — The Communications and Digital Ministry is studying the need to create the post of data protection officer in organisations through the amendment of the Personal Data Protection Act to protect individual personal data.
Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the matter was among those considered in the amendment of the act which is expected to be tabled in Parliament as early as this October.
“One of the aspects we are looking at is at the need to have a data protection officer, as it is important for an organisation to protect their data, because the matter was also raised by CyberSecurity Malaysia Board of Directors chairman Tan Sri Dr Zulkifeli Mohd Zin.
“We find that there is a need for data protection but everything is subject to the feedback from stakeholders and the Cabinet, if approved by the Cabinet we will bring in this amendment in October at the earliest or by March of next year at the latest.” Fahmi said after officiating at the Cyber Digital Services, Defence & Security Asia (CyberDSA) 2023 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here today.
Earlier, in a keynote address, Fahmi said Malaysia has a shortfall of 12,000 cybersecurity professionals and the government is working to improve support and pathways for professional cybersecurity education to address the shortage of skilled professionals in the industry.
At the moment, he said there are only 15,248 cybersecurity knowledge workers in Malaysia, while according to the latest study conducted by the Skills Development Department, the Centre for Instructor and Advanced Skill Training and CyberSecurity Malaysia, Malaysia requires at least 27,000 cybersecurity knowledge workers by the end of 2025.
“There is an acute shortage of cybersecurity professionals, who are not only sufficiently equipped with the right technical skills but also possess creativity and a deep understanding of both technology and human behaviour.”
Fahmi said ISC Squared Cybersecurity Workforce Study 2022 also reported the global shortfall of cybersecurity knowledge workers currently stands at 3.4 million people.
— Bernama
