KUALA LUMPUR, June 17—The government is considering imposing heavier penalties on those who steal telecommunication cables, which causes service disruptions.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said the punishment would be proposed in the amendment to the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which is being studied by the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
“I will ask the team at the Communications Ministry and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to examine as well as to provide comments and recommendations (punishment) because, at this time, the draft amendment to the act is being examined and studied involving several provisions on the aspects of network service quality (telecommunications).
“We made this amendment not only because we saw incidents of cable theft and vandalism but also because of (disruption to) the quality of telecommunication services as this is one of the items often raised by users and therefore, it is being scrutinised before we bring it to Parliament later,” he told the press at Lembah Pantai’s Program Korban Perdana today.
Fahmi, who is also the Lembah Pantai MP, was responding to a query about the government’s action to stop the theft of telecommunication copper cables, which is becoming more prevalent at the moment.
Regarding the move by the Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) to establish a team of ‘online ambassadors’ to deliver information and ward off slander in cyberspace, Fahmi said his ministry is not against the effort.
“I do not see that the establishment will cause them to enter (touch) the jurisdiction of other parties, but coordination in terms of the information to be conveyed must be done.
“InsyaAllah, I will look into this matter with the minister (Nga Kor Ming) because I have not had the opportunity to get a full briefing from KPKT regarding the effort,” he said.
On Thursday, Nga announced the establishment of a team of ‘online ambassadors’ consisting of 200 ministry staff to fend off defamation and effectively deliver authentic information and government policies.
— Bernama
