The bill aims to enhance the nation’s cybersecurity through compliance with specific measures, standards, and processes in managing cybersecurity threats.

Earlier, Gobind, when winding up the debate, said the bill could help the government ensure the viability and efficiency of the critical national information infrastructure (CNII) in handling cybersecurity incidents.

He said the bill was crucial as the CNII sector encompassed government, banking and finance, transport, defence and national security, as well as information, communication, and digital sectors, which were typically targeted in cyber attacks to cripple the government.

Also listed are healthcare service, water supply and waste management, energy, agriculture and farming, industry and trade, as well as science, technology, and innovation sectors.

“These are sectors that we see as very important and if the cyber threats are successful, they can have a detrimental effect on the country.

“It is necessary for us to see how to establish a law so that we can take steps to ensure that these CNII entities are vigilant, understand the risks, and know how to take countermeasures,” he said.

Gobind added that the bill would adopt a risk-based approach and determine protective controls against any technology that would be used in the future.

“Indeed, blockchain technology has the ability to authenticate records, data, and transactions, but there are cybersecurity threats in that technology, so we have to be careful,” he said.

The bill was passed by the Dewan Rakyat on March 27.