In mid December 2012, I was invited by A. Asohan and Gabey Goh of Digital News Asia to contribute in a monthly column in the DNA Insights section.
According to Gabey, the insight section is where senior industry figures are given the platform to voice their opinion about something, be it an issue or developing trend, in the ICT industry which they feel is worth elevating the profile of.
My column’s focus is on Malaysian legal news relating to intellectual property, cyberlaws, franchise, data privacy and the like.
I first met the co-founder of Digital News Asia, A. Asohan, at the forum on “Section 114A Evidence Act: Crime-busting or Online Control” at the Chinese Assembly Hall in June 2012. We were both on a campaign to get 114A repealed.
At the forum
We went to the Parliament a few times to persuade the MPs (Member of Parliament) to repeal 114A. Read my blogpost “Personal notes on the #stop114a campaign”
I’ve not met Gabey before but she interviewed me on a particular piece when she was still in The Star newspaper. I guess they read my articles thus they decided to invite me as a regular columnist.
At the beginning, I couldn’t think of a name for my column even after I finished the first draft of my article. I had names like “Sue the rock!” and “The Twitterjaya Act 2013” but it wasn’t suitable. “Sue the rock” came about when some kids at the climbing gym screamed that while I was climbing.
Fortunately, my wife, who is good with words, came up with the name “Bread & Kaya” – a Malaysianized word of “Bread & Butter”. She initially suggested “IP Bread & Kaya” but I shortened it to “Bread & Butter”.
Without further ado, an excerpt of my article below. The rest of the article can be read at my blawg.
PDPA: Businesses have responsibilities and burdens
WELCOME to the inaugural Bread & Kaya column!
The term is a Malaysianized version for bread-and-butter. This column aims to be your bread-and-kaya serving of legal news relating to intellectual property, cyberlaws, franchise, data privacy and the like.
You may have read some of my articles in The Star’s Putik Lada column or in LoyarBurok. If this is the first time you’re reading my articles, “Hello.”
Without a doubt, 2013 will be an interesting year for businesses. Many new laws and regulations will be introduced, and the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA) is one of them.