Answer for Written Question PT045

QUESTION

Yang Berhormat Dayang Chong Chin Yee

YANG BERHORMAT DAYANG CHONG CHIN YEE requested MENTERI PENGANGKUTAN DAN INFOKOMUNIKASI to state the laws or regulatory measures in place to address the growing threat of cybercrime. How are these planned to function in an integrated manner as part of an online security approach?

ANSWER

Yang Berhormat Menteri Pengangkutan dan Infokomunikasi

The Government has introduced several comprehensive and integrated laws and regulatory measures to address the growing threat of cybercrime. The laws concerned are as follows:

i. The Computer Misuse Act provides for offences relating to the intrusion into and misuse of computer systems;

ii. Meanwhile, the Personal Data Protection Act ensures the protection of personal data and organisational accountability; and

iii. In addition, the Cyber Security Act strengthens national cybersecurity governance by providing the authority to protect critical information infrastructure and coordinate responses to cyber incidents.

The implementation of these laws is supported by the roles played by several agencies/authorities, namely Cyber Security Brunei (CSB) in threat monitoring and management, the Authority for Infocommunications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) in regulating the digital industry, and the Royal Brunei Police Force in enforcement.

Overall, this approach reflects a holistic online security strategy, combining legislation, regulation and enforcement to effectively address the increase in cybercrime. This approach is designed in an integrated manner, involving legislative, enforcement, technical and public awareness aspects.

LEGISATION

The Cyber Security Act strengthens national cybersecurity governance by providing clearer authority to the relevant authorities to protect critical information infrastructure, coordinate incident responses and establish security compliance requirements for relevant sectors.

The Act emphasises a risk-based approach and national preparedness in facing cyber threats, particularly in relation to Critical Information Infrastructure (CII).

ENFORCEMENT

Technical

In terms of operational capability, Cyber Security Brunei (CSB) functions as the lead agency coordinating cybersecurity policies, threat monitoring and security incident management. Under it, the National Digital Forensic Laboratory (NDFL) serves as a 'service provider' to law enforcement agencies by providing digital forensics, cybercrime and online crime investigation services, together with expert witness services in court.

Meanwhile, BruCERT acts as the national computer emergency response centre, handling incident reports, conducting technical analyses, and issuing security alerts and advisories to the public and private sectors. Law enforcement is carried out by the Royal Brunei Police Force, particularly in the investigation and prosecution of cybercrime and digital fraud cases.

Public Awareness

Cyber Security Brunei (CSB) actively conducts cybersecurity awareness campaigns through briefing programmes and workshops for Government agencies, the private sector, educational institutions and the general public, as well as issuing regular security advisories.

These efforts aim to improve understanding of threats such as phishing, online scams and data breaches, while encouraging best practices such as secure password management and two-factor authentication.

In 2025, CSB recorded a total of 14,987 participants attending cyber awareness programmes. Insya Allah, for 2026, CSB is targeting participation of approximately 17,000 people, representing an increase of approximately 13% compared to 2025. This growth will be driven by expanding outreach to under-served sectors, increasing the delivery of programmes digitally, and establishing strategic cooperation with public and private stakeholders. Overall, this public awareness initiative serves as an early preventive layer that complements the legislative and technical operational aspects in ensuring that national cybersecurity remains secure and resilient.

Other Initiatives

As part of efforts to address online fraud, initiatives such as 'Brunei Scam Watch' through the NDFL are expected to contribute to increased public awareness by sharing information on the latest scam modus operandi and preventive advice. This initiative complements the legislative and technical approaches by strengthening integrated cooperation and collaboration among relevant agencies, namely law enforcement agencies and authorities, as well as enhancing the community's digital security literacy.