PETALING JAYA: Malaysia needs to strengthen the preparedness of its security forces amid increasingly sophisticated threats and thousands of attempted cyberattacks each month, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister said the country’s security landscape was no longer focused solely on conventional military threats, as cyberattacks, system intrusions and mobility of terrorist cells had emerged as major challenges.
“Cyberattacks are serious. Terrorist cells are serious.
“Hacking and cyberattacks are serious.
“We face thousands of attempted attacks in a single month.
“We must strengthen our defence, and last week, I met the top leadership of the armed forces to discuss strengthening the cyber security unit,” he said in response to a question from a National Service Training Programme (PLKN) trainee during the Temu Anwar Bersama Wira Muda Negara PLKN 3.0 programme here yesterday.
Anwar cited the disruption of airport operations in the United States as an example, saying it stemmed from problems involving telecommunications systems.
“Think about how the US, with all its sophistication, could not identify the cause,” he said.
On Friday, the US Federal Aviation Administration grounded thousands of flights for more than four hours before allowing airport operations to resume.
Anwar said the armed forces must adapt quickly to these new challenges, adding that the government had allocated the highest amount in its history to the sector under Budget 2027.
He said the substantial allocation was crucial to replacing obsolete conventional assets used by the security forces, including naval vessels, aircraft and armoured vehicles.
On a separate matter, Anwar said Malaysia’s social contract at independence was based on the formation of a multireligious and multiracial nation, rather than an exclusively Malay land.
However, he lamented that public discourse had become toxic, with racial slurs replacing the noble values enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
“Our nation did not emerge as a single, unified entity from the beginning.
“Historically, our society comprised different communities, and over time, various developments shaped the country we know today.
“Malaysia was formed through historical circumstances and realities, including differences in race, religion, culture and geographical regions. Nevertheless, we must remain united as one nation.
“This is our collective responsibility, a responsibility we must pass on to our children and future generations,” he said.
Anwar added that the country’s founding leaders, including Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, understood the importance of reaching an agreement among the different communities.
“That agreement became the foundation of our Constitution, often discussed in the context of the social contract.
“Everything must be rooted in strong convictions and values nurtured from an early age to build good character and personal integrity,” he said.
Anwar also cautioned the nation’s youth that “not all information is knowledge”, as advances in technology made it impossible to censor or filter all information reaching the public.
