Computer hacking is a crime punishable by imprisonment of up to seven years under the Computer Crimes Act 1997.

Sections 3 and 5 of the Act provides that unauthorised access to computer material and unauthorised modification of computer contents are criminal offences punishable by fines of up to RM50,000 (for unauthorised access) and up to RM100,000 (for unauthorised modification) or jail terms of up to five or seven years respectively.

Cyberlaw expert Abu Bakar Munir told malaysiakini that hacking involves criminal interference with computer data, enforcement of which lies with the police.

Abu Bakar, an associate professor of law at Universiti Malaya, says that a unit has been set up at Bukit Aman to investigate into such crimes.

Abu Bakar however questioned the efficacy of the law in combating cyber crime.

"Research in the UK has demonstrated that while computer crimes legislation has succeeded in frightening off some hackers, there are many who are undetered as it is difficult to track them down," he said.