The security directive for government departments will be amended in tackling the problem of leaking of government secret information, especially on social media.

Government Security deputy director-general Nik Azlan Abas said the amendment, for the third time, was required to meet the current need, especially with regard to cyber security in order to educate public servants to safeguard the government's confidential data and information from being leaked to the public.

"Of late, there have been cases of government information leaks at its departments and agencies, so it's time for us to act, to look again at the Security Directive to be in tandem with the current needs and to see where the amendments need to be made," he said when met by reporters at the Institute of Integrity, Malaysia yesterday.

He was attending a roundtable discussion titled, 'Strategies and Approaches to Enhance Integrity in Secrecy and Security of Government Documents from Any Leaks'.

The Security Directive which had set the standards that must be observed by all government departments, encompassing physical protection of the buildings, security protection of government documents and protection of personal security, was last amended in 1985.

Nik Azlan said the amended Security Directive would contain more than 180 instructions compared to 95 currently, with emphasis on Chapters 5 and 6 which covered cyber security.

He said the amended Security Directive would also be using language that could be more easily understood by public servants.

The proposed amendments had been forwarded to the relevant ministries, departments and agencies including the National Security Council, Home Ministry, CyberSecurity Malaysia and the Attorney-General's Chambers, and would be brought to the Cabinet in October or November for approval, he said.

Nik Azlan noted that so far this year, there had been four recorded cases of government information leaks - one case on the social media and the rest on websites or blogs.

In 2014, there were 15 cases - eight on the social media, three on websites and blogs, and four through media statements.

Nik Azlan said the sources of the government information leaks were public servants themselves, non-governmental organisations, public investigators, spies and political bodies.

He said such information leaks could threaten the country's defence system, security, trade and international relations, and give a negative impact on government management.

- Bernama