Inventor

Dr. Bahma Sivasubramaniam

• Description of Invention

  Emerging cyber threats pose serious harm to Internet citizens specifically and Malaysia as a whole. The nation's digital economy has the potential to contribute substantially to the Gross Domestic Product. A healthy digital society will contribute to a healthy digital economy. However, cyberbullying is a threat to a healthy digital society. Conventional bullying has trespassed into the realm of virtual space and the effects are more devastating. The ubiquitous manner in which a cyberbullying act can be committed and spread, the harm that these acts can cause, the widespread rippling and permanent effect of a cyberbullying act are serious repercussions. The CoVid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problem, with cyberbullying acts escalating and causing grave concern. 
  Surveys conducted by UNICEF, Comparitech and others show that Malaysia ranks high in the list of countries facing cyberbullying. The time has come for the law to act decisively against this threat. It is noted that whilst Malaysia has on our statute books laws that address criminal offences, there is no law that deals specifically this thorny issue. The aim of this research is to propose a solution that will deal with cyberbullying satisfactorily though an independent and standalone legislation.  The findings and analysis from this research will provide strong support to the Government of Malaysia when drafting the legislation. This would be a novel contribution to society as a whole. The proposed standalone law will be holistic in nature, veering away from the traditional penal-centric legislation. This research fits like a glove to the lofty and holistic ideals of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, in particular Goal no 4 relating to quality education, Goal No 8 relating to Gender Equality and Goal No.16 relating to promote peaceful and inclusive societies by building peace, justice and strong institutions. It will fall under Category 5 relating to Economic Growth. Cyberbullying is a universal threat and can easily mapped into several SDGs.

• Intellectual Property (IP) Status

  • TRL Status: NA

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