PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is well-positioned to become a leader in cybersecurity and is expected to make a positive impact during its Asean Chairmanship term.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the National Cyber Security Committee supports the National Cyber Security Agency's (NACSA) efforts to continue leading initiatives to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity, particularly in protecting the National Critical Information Infrastructure (NCII).
He added in line with Malaysia's Asean Chairmanship in 2025, he was briefed on the upcoming Cyber Defense and Security Exhibition and Conference (CYDES) 2025 and the preparation of the new Malaysia Cyber Security Strategy (2025-2030) to bolster cybersecurity-related strategies and initiatives.
"This afternoon, I reviewed a presentation on the increasingly challenging and complex state of the country’s cybersecurity while chairing the second National Cyber Security Committee meeting for 2024.
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"The meeting also agreed that NACSA should lead the National Cryptography Centre, which will be initiated at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), while opening opportunities for researchers from other universities to participate.
"This centre must be inclusive, involving experts, intellectuals, and the private sector to ensure Malaysia stays ahead in cryptographic technology," he said in a Facebook post on Tuesday (Dec 18)
Previously, Anwar had stated that Malaysia’s cybersecurity was comparatively weaker than that of other nations.
He explained that this prompted the government to introduce cybersecurity regulations and a Cybersecurity Bill to address the issue.
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Anwar further noted that while the country has no shortage of experts in the field, it is essential to ensure continuity between the academic sector, industry needs, and the priority of safeguarding the nation’s cybersecurity ecosystem.
"The meeting also agreed that Malaysia should join the Budapest Convention and the United Nations Convention Against Cybercrime to demonstrate the country’s commitment to tackling cybercrime domestically and internationally.
"I also expressed my support for drafting a new cybercrime bill to replace the Computer Crimes Act 1997," he said.
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