COMPREHENSIVE LEGAL FRAMEWORK NEEDED TO COMBAT CYBERCRIME, SAYS TOP EU OFFICIAL

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 28 (Bernama) -- A consistent and comprehensive legal
framework is a fundamental element in countering cybercrime, the Ambassador and
Head of the European Commission Delegation to Malaysia, Vincent Piket
said.

He said, legislation therefore needed to be harmonised or at least made
compatible, among countries and efficient international co-operation
pursued.

"The development of the internet and other information systems has given
rise to a fantastic flow of information, products and services across the
world," he said in his address at the Eu-Asean Workshop on Cybercrime here
Thursday.

Piket said traditional forms of crime such as fraud or forgery, as well as
new crimes such as the publication of illegal content over the electronic media
(e.g. child sexual abuse material or incitement to racial hatred) and crimes
unique to electronic networks (attacks against information systems, denial of
service and hacking), are constantly evolving.

Legislation and law enforcement have obvious difficulties in keeping pace,
he said.

Therefore, he added, the cross-border character of this new type of
criminal
activity underlines the need for strengthened international cooperation and
coordination.

Picket said regulators in this area have a very complex task.

"They need to curtail criminal behaviour. At the same time, when they
legislate, they cannot lose sight of the intended economic benefits of the
information society.

"It is imperative that we do not stifle a sector that lies
at the heart of the economic growth and technological advances of the recent
decades," he said.

He said there was also the ethical and human rights dimension.

"It is important that the steps taken to enforce security are always
accompanied by adequate safeguards to ensure scrutiny, accountability and
transparency," he noted.

To support the regulatory and enforcement work, he said that the level of
awareness also needed to be raised.

The two-day workshop hosted by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia
Commission (MCMC), takes place within the framework of an EU-funded programme to
further the process of ASEAN economic integration.

The programme is called the APRIS -ASEAN-EU Programme for Regional
Integration Support.

It is implemented in association with the ASEAN Secretariat and covers a
variety of topics that support ASEAN's integration.
-- BERNAMA