Privacy Policy
Last Updated: · Effective:
Akal ("we", "us", or "our") is a small business advisory practice based in Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia. We help owner-operated businesses understand and gently adopt simple digital tools. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle information that passes through our website and our work together.
We take data responsibilities seriously and hold ourselves to the standards set by Malaysia's Personal Data Protection Act 2010 (PDPA). We do not sell personal information, and we keep what we collect to what is genuinely needed.
If you have questions about anything in this policy, you are welcome to reach us at [email protected].
1. Personal Data We Collect
When you use our website or contact us, we may collect the following categories of information:
Contact Details
- · Full name
- · Email address
- · Phone number
- · Business name (if provided)
Technical Data
- · IP address (anonymised)
- · Browser type and version
- · Pages visited and time on site
- · Referring website (if any)
We collect this information directly from you (via our contact form or telephone) or automatically via cookies and analytics tools. We do not collect sensitive personal data such as identification numbers, health information, or financial details.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use personal data only for the purposes for which it was collected or purposes that are reasonably related:
- Responding to enquiries submitted through our contact form or by telephone
- Scheduling and conducting service sessions (Discovery Conversation, Process Companion, or Steady Guidance Retainer)
- Sending service-related updates and follow-up notes relevant to your engagement
- Improving our website and understanding how visitors use it
- Complying with our legal obligations under Malaysian law
We do not use your data for unsolicited marketing. If we ever wish to send you any promotional material, we will ask for your separate consent beforehand.
3. Legal Basis for Processing
Under Malaysia's PDPA, we process personal data on the following grounds:
4. Data Retention
We keep personal data only as long as it is needed:
- Contact enquiries — up to 12 months from the date received, unless we begin a service engagement.
- Client records — up to 7 years from the end of engagement, as required for accounting and legal purposes under Malaysian law.
- Website analytics — aggregated and anonymised data held for up to 26 months, with no individual identifiers retained.
After the applicable retention period, data is securely deleted or anonymised.
5. Sharing Your Information
We do not sell, trade, or transfer your personal data to any outside party for their own marketing or commercial purposes. We may share data in the following limited circumstances:
- Service providers — trusted third parties who assist in operating our website (e.g. hosting, email delivery), under strict confidentiality obligations.
- Legal requirements — where disclosure is required by law, court order, or government authority in Malaysia.
- Business transition — in the unlikely event of a business transfer, data would move under the same privacy protections described here.
Where any third-party processor handles data on our behalf, we require them to do so in accordance with PDPA obligations.
6. How We Protect Your Data
7. Cookies
Our website uses cookies — small files placed on your device — to help the site function and to understand how it is used. We use:
- Essential cookies — required for the site to work properly. These cannot be disabled.
- Analytics cookies — help us understand which pages are visited most, so we can improve the experience.
- Preference cookies — remember choices you have made, such as your cookie consent decision.
You can manage your cookie preferences at any time on our Cookie Policy page.
8. Your Rights Under PDPA
As a data subject under Malaysia's Personal Data Protection Act 2010, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
Right of access
Right to rectification
Right to withdraw consent
Right to object to direct marketing
Right to lodge a complaint
To exercise any of these rights, please write to us at [email protected].
9. Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to external sites for your reference. Once you leave our site, we have no control over how other websites handle your data. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any site you visit.
10. Children's Privacy
Our services are intended for business owners and are not directed at anyone under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal data from minors. If we become aware that a minor has submitted information to us, we will delete it promptly.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or in applicable law. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of our website after such changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
12. Contact for Data Enquiries
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, please reach out:
No. 38, Jalan Pasar, 14000 Bukit Mertajam, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia