By: Sonny Zulhuda
Open Data initiative by the Malaysian government aims to promote a citizen-centric government and to strengthen the national digital economy. It seeks to make public data open for members of public to access, share and utilise for greater benefit. Nevertheless, such initiative presents its own challenges.
Such challenges include (1) Increasing public pressure to share data, (2) Risk of uncontrolled disclosure, (3) Threats to national security and public interests, (4) Mounting demand to protect personal information. The Malaysian Open Data initiative will not be able to achieve its desired objective unless it is supported by a clear legal framework which protects the security of the datasets while allowing greater freedom for citizens to access to public information.
More on this I had discussed as a keynote at this 1st International Conference of Administrative Science, Legal Studies, Governance, and Law organised by University of Islam Malang (UNISMA), Indonesia. Alongside me at the virtual stage was the Honorable Rector of UNISMA Prof. Dr. H. Maskuri, MS.I.
Other keynoters include Prof. Elchin Ghasimov (Vice-Presiden of Moscow City University (Samara Branch, Russia), Prof. Tatyana Serebryakova (Dean of The Law faculty of Moscow City University (Samara Branch, Russia), Renato S. Pacaldo, Ph.D (Attorney and Executive Dorector International Affairs and Linkages Office Mindanao State University), Assoc. Prof. H. Suratman, S.H., M.Hum. (Dean of Law Faculty, University of Islam Malang) and Assoc. Prof. H. Abdul Rokhim, S.H., M.Hum. (Senior Lecturer of Law Faculty, University of Islam Malang).
The session was wonderfully chaired by Ms Pinastika Prajna Paramita, SH.,MIL, a lecturer at the Faculty of Law, UNISMA.
TRIBUTE 