Mustaffa said with the specific laws, the prosecution process for cyberbullying will no longer be based on other acts, including Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1988 (Improper use of network facilities) as is being practised currently.

“Cyberbullying is quite rampant these days. In 2020 Cybersecurity received 596 reports of cyberbullying or harassment compared with 201 reports in 2019.

“For 2021, as of July, we have received 267 reports,” he said as a panelist of a cyber ethics programme entitled ‘Trolling: Sindiran atau Sandaran’ organised by Cybersecurity Malaysia that was aired live on its YouTube channel yesterday.

Cybersecurity Malaysia is the national cybersecurity agency under the communications and multimedia ministry.

Mustaffa said the public also needed to practise self-restraint, civility and empathy towards other people and understand the concept of a digital footprint in combating cyberbullying and not to just rely on the law.

“A digital footprint are traces left behind by every user whenever they surf the Internet. So, be careful of what you surf because everything can be known and it will be used as a source of info to bully you,” he said.

Cyberbullying refers to any deliberate action by individuals or entities through digital communication with the intent to cause anxiety, physical, psychological, economic, academic harm to the victim.

These include threats to spread videos, fake profiles, harassing messages, fake news or slander, and insulting comments.

“If you face cyber harassment, you are advised to report it to the police, take a screenshot of the harassment, set your privacy settings in social media, share it with people you trust and do not respond to the bully,” Mustaffa said.

Besides the police, reports of cyberbullying can be made to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), Kasih 15999 hotline, Mercy Malaysia, Befrienders and social media platforms, like Facebook and Instagram, as well as cyber999.