| Syazwani Hj Rosli |
BRUNEI Darussalam continues to take the threat of cybercrime very seriously and undertake significant efforts to ensure the protection of the nation and its people.
This was stated by Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Mokti bin Haji Mohd Daud while delivering his speech at the opening of the 11th China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference (11th CAPGC) yesterday.
Currently being organised by the Attorney General’s Chambers of Brunei Darussalam at The Rizqun International Hotel, the conference is themed ‘Enhancing Capabilities and Cooperation in Addressing Cybercrime’.
“We live in an increasingly interconnected world where technology has become an indispensable part of our daily lives, and where the promise of the “Internet of Things” (IOT) has begun to manifest itself in more and more of our data enabled devices.
“Technology and the Internet have fundamentally changed the way we live and interact, bringing about a digital revolution that offers immense opportunities for social-economic growth and development.
“The advances of this revolution however, have also led to the evolution of new generation of threats and risks, as criminals, terrorists and extremists seek to exploit the borderless world of the Internet for their own nefarious purposes,” the minister said.
“Crime in cyberspace is attractive due to its swift, anonymous and borderless nature, and we now see an increase in fraud and money laundering carried out through the online technology.
“The use of the Internet by terrorists and extremists to spread their propaganda and facilitate recruitment is also on the rise, particularly through social media channels,” he added.
According to the minister, “Brunei Darussalam too has seen its share of threats posed by cybercriminals and those seeking to promote terrorist and extremist agendas.
“Our countries must be vigilant against new cyber threats that are constantly emerging. The proliferation of misinformation and confusion through fake news on the Internet and its associated media has been identified as a new form of cybercrime that may endanger social cohesion and affect national security in many countries.
“Nowadays, human creativity has been exploited to distort truth and create false stories with the aim to deliberately misinform the public for various interests and purposes. Today, our biggest challenge is to guarantee the credibility and reliability of the sources of information. Without a doubt, fake news is a threat not only to the government, but also to society’s trust in each other,” he said.
To counter this, the minister advocated the need for education on all levels on the responsible use of digital technology, the enhancement of data security to ensure that the public becomes less liable to become victims of Internet scams as well as the need for a “collective ASEAN way” to engage media providers since ASEAN can leverage on established communication links to combat the misuse and abuse of data.
The minister continued, “In view of this, Brunei Darussalam has taken a number of initiatives to tackle cybercrime including – firstly, strengthening enforcement in order to ensure that our nation and population are protected; secondly, the establishment of the Cybersecurity Working Group to coordinate information sharing and formulate joint action to address cybercrime and cybersecurity matter that led to the creation of the Brunei Darussalam National
Cybersecurity Framework in 2017 to ensure the country’s cyber defences are cohesive and robust; thirdly, the setting up of a Cybercrime Focus Group by the Attorney General that aims to continuously study and research international best practices while ensuring our laws are compliant with international standards; fourthly, creating a strong legal framework in any national strategy to address cybercrime where, the laws of Brunei Darussalam such as the Computer Misuse Act and the Penal Code ensure that cybercriminals are brought swiftly to justice and punished.
“In relations to this, Brunei Darussalam became the first country in this region to establish a Child Online Protection Framework built upon the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) – Child Online Protection Initiative in support of the country’s priority in protecting children and younger generation.
“Lastly, public awareness campaigns and outreach programmes initiated by the Attorney General’s Chambers in educating younger generation and disseminating preventive messages to reduce vulnerability to cybercrime especially through social media.”
The minister noted that “cybercrime is a global challenge that needs to be tackled collectively and we need to have an innovative approach to address it. Hence, an international cooperation is essential and I encourage the prosecutors and law enforcement agencies of our region and beyond, to work closer together to eradicate cybercrime”.
“This is particularly important in light of the recent ASEAN Leader’s Statement on Cybersecurity Cooperation at the recent 32nd ASEAN Summit in Singapore.
“We need to work with multilateral agencies such as the United Nations and the International Police Organization (INTERPOL). Regional efforts through ASEAN such as the ASEAN Cyber Capacity Program and ASEAN Cybersecurity Cooperation Strategy as well as conferences such as this play an important role in addressing cybercrime,” he added.
The minister commended the establishment of the ASEAN Cybercrime Prosecutors’ Roundtable Meeting which provides a platform for sharing knowledge and expertise among prosecutors on fighting cybercrime across ASEAN.
He wished all participants a fruitful and productive conference and encouraged all delegations to share each other’s best practices as well as the challenges faced by their jurisdictions, hoping that they will also look at more efficient ways to cooperate with one another to strengthen the region’s cyber resilience.
“The Joint Declaration that will be conclude this conference will no doubt be a strong testament to the unwavering commitment of prosecutors in China-ASEAN region in fighting cybercrime,” the minister concluded, wishing all delegations success and a pleasant stay in Brunei Darussalam.