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Macao passes cyber-crime bill

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-06-25 22:33

MACAO: A cyber-crime bill drafted by the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government has been passed by local Legislative Assembly, the Macao Post Daily reported on Thursday.

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Although the bill was passed by the Assembly, some of the lawmakers still raised questions concerning specific clauses of it.

Lawmakers Ng Kuok Cheong and Au Kam San both expressed their doubts over one of the 18 articles in the bill, saying it gives law enforcement agencies"special rights" when carrying out "real time" investigations into suspected Internet crimes, according to the daily.

Despite the fact that investigations into cyber-crimes are a difficult task, protecting people's basic freedoms and preventing the police from abusing their power are also hard to do, the daily quoted Ng as saying.

The bill will be effected as law after it was signed by the SAR's Chief Executive and promulgated on the Official Gazette.