KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 2 — Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil has today tabled a Bill to amend the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (CMA) "Act 588” for its first reading.

The amendment Bill, among others will focus on addressing aspects of online gambling and scams, cyberbullying and sexual crimes against children.

This will be the first proposal for amendment since the Act was enacted 26 years ago.

The amendment Bill has also proposed to expand the power of Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to issue directions and mandatory standards and to empower the Commission to carry out audits.

It has also proposed to expand the power of the Commission to designate industry forum and to expand the subject matter of voluntary industry codes; to strengthen the regulatory and enforcement powers of the Commission; to promote industry regulation on network security and powers of the Commission to address network security risks; and to prohibit the sending of unsolicited commercial electronic messages.

This Bill, when approved will also empower the minister to make regulations on it, to provide for stricter penalties as deterrent and other related matters.