Malaysia to criminalise cyberbullying after influencer Rajeswary Appahu’s suicide
- The government is also drafting a new law that would place the burden of responsibility on online service providers to manage security issues
Beauty content and positivity influencer Rajeswary Appahu was found dead in her home on July 5, a day after she filed a police report claiming she had received death and sexual assault threats online.
The government is drafting amendments to the country’s penal code to include specific provisions on cyberbullying as current laws do not provide sufficient legal protection for cyberbullying victims, according to Law Minister Azalina Othman Said.
“The proposed amendments, besides providing an interpretation of cyberbullying, will classify cyberbullying as a specific offence in Malaysia,” Azalina said in a statement.
The minister said authorities were also drafting a new law that would place the burden of responsibility on online service providers to manage security issues and cyberbullying, specifically on harmful content that involved child victims.