The Dewan Rakyat has passed the Cybercrimes Bill 2026, a wide-ranging law aimed at strengthening Malaysia’s response to online offences, including deepfakes and digitally manipulated intimate images.
The Bill, which contains 61 clauses on cybercrime, was approved by a majority voice vote after being debated by 48 Members of Parliament from both the government and opposition.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the legislation is designed with safeguards and does not override existing laws, including the Official Secrets Act 1972.
“The Bill does not grant absolute powers to the authorities or override any existing laws, including the Official Secrets Act 1972. Instead, it is subject to checks and balances as well as stringent legal procedures to safeguard the fundamental rights and privacy of the people,” he said when winding up the debate on the Bill.
He added that powers relating to access to computer systems and data cannot be used arbitrarily and must follow established legal procedures.
“A notice to preserve computer data may only be issued if the investigating officer is satisfied that the data is reasonably required for the purposes of an investigation and that there is a risk of the data being deleted, altered or destroyed if immediate action is not taken.”
He further clarified that disclosure of digital data must be carried out through formal written notices.
“With regard to the disclosure of computer data, the government wishes to emphasise that it may only be carried out through a written notice to the person who owns or has control of the data, and is subject to the requirements of a lawful investigation,” he said.
Responding to concerns that the Bill could restrict freedom of speech, Ahmad Zahid stressed that its focus remains on cybersecurity and cybercrime rather than expression.
He also clarified that artificial intelligence-generated content is not automatically criminalised under the law.
He said prosecution would still need to establish key elements of an offence, including intent, purpose and the impact of the content.
On enforcement capacity, he said the government had established the Cybersecurity and Cryptology Development Centre on June 3, formed through the merger of CyberSecurity Malaysia and the Malaysian Cryptology Technology and Management Centre under the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA).
The move, he said, is aimed at strengthening expertise in areas such as AI forensics.
Ahmad Zahid also highlighted growing risks faced by vulnerable groups, including scams, sexual exploitation and non-consensual sharing of intimate content, noting that the Bill introduces new offences not previously explicitly covered under existing laws.
He said the government would strengthen coordination with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), digital platform providers and international partners to speed up the removal of illegal content.
He also said real-time information sharing would be enhanced through the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC).
On enforcement structure, the Royal Malaysia Police will remain the lead agency, with the Commercial Crime Investigation Department taking charge of investigations, while NACSA will coordinate strategically alongside MCMC, Bank Negara Malaysia and other technical agencies.
During the debate, several MPs proposed refinements to the Bill, including clearer definitions of AI-generated content to prevent misinterpretation involving satire, artistic expression and political criticism.
Others suggested stronger protections for Sabah and Sarawak representation in the Committee Against Cybercrime and faster takedown mechanisms for deepfake pornography and non-consensual intimate content.
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