Fabian (2nd from right) looks on as National Security Council deputy director-general Datuk Baharuddin Ahmad (centre) presents a token of appreciation to the Head of the Cybercrime Division of the Council of Europe, Alexander Seger (right), at the Cyber Games 2025 opening ceremony today. Also present were Nacsa CEO Dr Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin (2nd from left) and Interpol's Director of the Cybercrime Directorate, Dr. Neal Jetton (far left). — Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: The Cyber Games 2025 kicked off today following an opening ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, bringing together around 120 participants from 40 countries in competition to take on real-world cybersecurity challenges.
Officiating the opening ceremony was Digital Ministry secretary-general Fabian Bigar, who gave a speech on Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo's behalf.
"The decision to hold the very first edition of the Cyber Games here in Malaysia reflects the strong and growing partnership between Malaysia, the Council of Europe and Interpol.
"It also reaffirms our shared vision: to foster resilience, cooperation, and innovation in the fight against cybercrime.
"This event represents far more than a competition – it is a global platform for engagement, capacity building, and meaningful collaboration," he said.
The Cyber Games 2025 is hosted by the Malaysia National Cyber Security Agency (Nacsa) and jointly organised with the Council of Europe and Interpol, taking place from today (May 20) until May 23.
The event will also be followed by a series of regional editions in Europe and Africa.
The secretary-general says that cyberthreats are growing in sophistications and are borderless, with Malaysia having seen a 78% surge in ransomware cases in Q4 of 2024 compared to the previous quarter.
Among the stated goals of the inaugural Cyber Games 2025 is to act as a platform for experts, such as cyber incident investigators and digital forensics specialists, to deepen their understanding of cyber threats and how to more effectively combat them.
It would also sharpen the practical skills of participants by testing how they handle simulated real-life situations like ransomware and cryptocurrency-related cybercrime as well as encourage the sharing of global expertise in cybersecurity and digital forensics, and strengthen international cooperation in tackling cyber threats.
Fabian added that the Cyber Games lines up with the nation's strategic approach in combating cybercrime and strengthening cybersecurity policies, with Malaysia working towards implementing robust measures and legal frameworks to foster regional and international cooperation in combating cyber threats.
"This includes our Cabinet’s recent approval for accession to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime, as well as our commitment to signing the forthcoming United Nations Convention against Cybercrime.
"In parallel, we are currently drafting a new Cybercrime Bill that will further modernise and fortify our legal frameworks, which we expect to table in Parliament by the end of this year," he said.
According to Nacsa chief executive officer Dr Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin, stakeholders have been engaged since last month to provide feedback on the first draft of the Cybercrime Bill.
These stakeholders include the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, various telcos, and the Bar Council.
The engagement sessions also aim to ensure that the proposed legislation does not negatively impact industry operations, with feedback carefully considered to strike a balance between effective enforcement and the needs of stakeholders.
It was previously reported that the bill would be tabled in October this year.
