The rights to privacy in Malaysia: an analysis of the existing legal framework / Mohd Zulhelmey Abdullah @ Abd Halim ...[et al.]

The rise in the number of privacy invasion practices coupled with the increasing sophistication of information technology and telecommunications nowadays has introduced a new sense of urgency for a greater protection of the right to privacy. Populations throughout the world express fears about privacy invasion, prompting a growing number of nations to pass laws that specifically protect the privacy of their citizens. Hence, a careful analysis of the legal position in Malaysia in relation to the individuals’ rights to privacy is vital to address the issue whether the time has come for our nation to provide a more comprehensive law on privacy protection. This study sheds some lights on some of the issues and considerations raised by the protection of the right to privacy in Malaysia. It also observes how privacy invasions have been addressed and handled by a number of different legal systems. This study notes that despite the complexities to be faced by our policy makers in determining the proper boundaries of privacy right and addressing potential conflict between legal, constitutional, social, ethical, economic and other interests, efforts must be exerted to ensure this fundamental right is given its due legal recognition