SIBU: The Communication and Multimedia Ministry has been urged to tighten the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 so that personal information would not be easily leaked out to irresponsible parties.
Sarawak Bumiputera Teachers Union (KGBS) made the call recently when commenting on a Bernama report where a syndicate involved in a scam had 200,000 SPM students’ data in its possession.
“The measure is necessary to prevent personal information from being abused by those who are up to no good,” KGBS president Ahmad Malie said.
Melaka police chief Datuk Chuah Ghee Lye was reported to have said the applicants called by the syndicate for interview for places at a university had to pay a RM500 processing fee.
Ahmad said KGBS hoped the relevant authority would conduct thorough investigation as the matter had become a national issue.
“Find out who is the mastermind especially the syndicate involved in the cheating case such as this as it has not only affected the good name of education among the people but could spread to international level.
“Hence, comprehensive and stern action need to be taken to ensure our children are not cheated by bogus offers while ensuring our education status is always held in high esteem by the world community,” he added.
Turning to students, he advised them to always take precautionary measures when receiving offer to study in institutions of higher learning.
He added this was more so when the offer reached their doorstep without making any application in the first place.
He noted such offers usually came with attractive promises especially from the aspect of PTPTN financing.
“Should they receive such offer, they need to vet thoroughly and establish the authenticity.”
Ahmad said this was because in the era of globalisation, cheatings are easy and had happened by taking advantage of students’ enthusiasm in furthering their studies.
“KGBS advise students to exercise more caution if they receive offer and asked to make payment upfront especially processing fee during interview or mailed through postal order.
“Such method is suspicious as normally institutions of higher learning do not ask for upfront payment before students enrol and commence their courses,” he said.
Ahmad also hoped parents would be careful as at times they could be taken away by their children’s offer to further their studies.
Meanwhile, Bernama quoted the Communication and Multimedia Ministry’s statement, stating all quarters categorised as ‘data users’ under Personal Data Protection (Class of Data Users) Order had been advised to register with the department before Feb 15.
Categorised as ‘data users’ under the Order were those in the communication, finance, banking, insurance, health, tourism and hospitality, transportation, education, direct selling, property and utility sector.
It stated that the act of processing personal data in an unregistered commercial transaction was an offence under Section 16 of the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (Act 709, which carries a maximum fine of RM500,000 or imprisonment of three years, or both, if convicted.