COMMENT | MCMC data retention plan sparks privacy concerns

COMMENT | The Institute of Strategic Analysis and Policy Research (Insap) recently convened a closed-door roundtable on Aug 12, 2025, with civil society organisations (CSOs), policy experts, and advocacy groups.

The roundtable was to discuss the MCMC’s Public Consultation Paper on Retention, Preservation, and Disclosure of Communications Data for Investigation Purposes.

The public consultation, first announced on July 25, 2025, and later extended to Aug 18, 2025, seeks feedback on the proposed framework that will govern how communications data is stored, preserved, and disclosed to law enforcement.

While the aim of enabling timely investigations and protecting public safety is important, our roundtable found that the proposal in its current form...