On February 11, Cambodia took a key step towards improving its digital security framework when an inter-ministerial committee preliminarily approved a draft law aimed at combating telecommunications and online fraud. Under instructions from Prime Minister Hun Manet, Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Koeut Rith chaired a technical meeting attended by senior representatives of the Interior Ministry, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the National Bank of Cambodia and law-enforcement agencies, completing the final review of the legal framework.
The draft anti-telecommunications and online fraud law is intended to provide a comprehensive legal basis for preventing, intercepting and combating cybercrime. It is a high-priority government measure to protect the public interest and safeguard the integrity of the digital economy. Officials said the bill aligns with the UN Convention against Cybercrime, which Cambodia had previously signed, and seeks to strengthen national cybersecurity governance by adopting international standards.
The Cambodian government also emphasised that the measure would strengthen cross-border law-enforcement cooperation to track and dismantle transnational cybercrime groups. Following consensus, the draft will enter the formal legislative process. Once promulgated and implemented, it is expected to become a central legal tool for clearing scam compounds and strengthening the rule of law in the digital sphere.
