Safeguarding Trust: The Role of Personal Data Protection Act 2010 and Corporate Standard Operating Procedures in Preventing Consumer’s Data Misuse

Abstract

Rising cases of personal data misuse in Malaysia have intensified calls for more effective consumer data protection mechanisms. Although the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA) establishes the main legal framework for safeguarding personal information, large-scale breaches such as the leakage of 67.5 million personal records between 2011 and 2021, reveal persistent gaps between legal provisions and real-world practices. These incidents not only undermine consumer trust but also expose system weaknesses in both regulatory oversight and corporate compliance cultures. This article examines the issue through a doctrinal legal analysis of the PDPA, supplemented by content analysis of selected corporate compliance measures, with comparative insights drawn from other jurisdictions such as the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Singapore’s Personal Data Protection Act 2012. The findings reveal that many data breaches stem less from legislative inadequacies than from weak enforcement of internal standard operating procedures (SOPs), insufficient training within the organizations. The study concludes that effective consumer data protection in Malaysia necessitates a dual approach. On one hand, strict compliance with PDPA obligations must be ensured through active regulatory enforcement, including monitoring, inspections and sanctions. On the other hand, corporations must strengthen internal governance by institutionalising SOPs, investing in continuous staff training, and embedding accountability mechanisms across organizational structures. By fostering stronger synergy between statutory law and corporate self-regulation, companies can safeguard consumer trust, mitigate liability risks, and promote responsible business practices that support long-term sustainability in the digital economy.