1. Yang Berusaha Tuan Fabian Bigar
Secretary General, Ministry of Digital
2. Yang Berusaha Ts. Tuan Mahadhir Bin Aziz
CEO, MDEC
3. Yang Berbahagia Dato Ts. Dr. Haji Amirudin Bin Abdul Wahab CEO, CyberSecurity Malaysia
4. Vivek Sood
Group CEO and Managing Director, Axiata Group Berhad
5. Yang Berbahagia Datuk Idham Nawawi
CEO, CelcomDigi Berhad
Members of the media
Distinguished guests,
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
1. I’m delighted to be here today and have this opportunity to tour Axiata’s Cyber Fusion Centre (ACFC), and learn more about its proactive capabilities in cyber defence.
2. Cyber security will continue to be the cornerstone and critical pre-requisite for Malaysia’s digital economic prowess. I’m pleased that CyberSecurity Malaysia and MDEC have partnered with Axiata on several key initiatives to ensure that citizens, the public and private sector organisations, plus our national infrastructure continue to be secured in the cyber realm.
3. Today’s event represents a deepening commitment to building cyber resilience in Malaysia, benefitting the local ecosystem and talent. Looking ahead, what we can achieve together is a cyber security ecosystem built on Malaysia’s strong foundations of expertise, technology, capability and talent-building.
4. The Ministry of Digital was set up in December last year to drive the nation’s digital agenda, and spearhead Malaysia’s ambition to become a globally competitive, inclusive, and sustainable digital economy. This Ministry is working horizontally across all ministries to ensure the successful implementation of strategic initiatives under the Malaysia Digital Economy Blueprint and the National 4IR Policy.
5. I’d like to briefly outline the Ministry of Digital’s priorities in cyber security and the relevant policies, before mentioning the areas in which government and industry partnerships must collaborate more closely if we are to succeed.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
6. The Malaysian government has made encouraging progress in building resilience and countering cyberthreats. Yet, the risks and threats from attacks remain and grow each day. Against this backdrop, the Government is committed to working with all parties to create a safer and more resilient cyber ecosystem by enhancing national security, economic prosperity, and social harmony for our economy and people.
7. On the regulatory front, the Cyber Security Act was gazetted on June 26, 2024. This act will establish an overarching regulatory framework designed to fortify national cyber security by requiring compliance with specific measures, standards and processes in the management of cybersecurity threats for entities managing National Critical Information Infrastructure (NCII). This will enable our country to further step up national cyber security preparedness and increase cyber security defence, specifically to build cyber resilience.
8. As we accelerate our digital ambitions to become a high-income nation and a pioneer in the digital economy regionally, the Ministry must foster a holistic regulatory environment that meets the needs of Malaysians, businesses, and investors in the digital sphere.
9. The recent amendments to the Personal Data Protection Bill will boost Malaysia’s digital competitiveness by ensuring secure management of personal data in commercial transactions. Organisations must now appoint a Data Protection Officer to oversee compliance with data protection laws, including data breach notifications, data user obligations, and the secure transfer of personal data abroad. Additionally, the Ministry plans to establish a Data Commission to further enhance national data security.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
10. With the growth of technology platforms and users, our priority to safeguard national well-being and ensure a secure, trusted, and resilient economy is crucial. With the shift in consumption patterns and business operations to online platforms, organisations, businesses, and individuals are increasingly vulnerable to cyber attacks without the right knowledge, skills, and defence tools.
11. Without these measures and safeguards, the consequences are dire. The impact of cybercrimes and attacks are far-reaching – impacting individuals, businesses or a nation’s finances, reputation, and legal obligations.
12. Cases related to phishing, fraud and scam have risen tremendously, as criminals take advantage of the shift towards remote work and causing this issue to become a post-pandemic problem experienced by most countries.
13. It is reported that between 2021 and April 2024, a total of 95,837 reported cases in the country have incurred losses amounting to RM3.18 billion due to online scams. It is also likely that the figures could be higher as many victims may not have reported to the authorities for various reasons.
14. It is imperative that we crack down on cybercrime and protect Malaysia from the cyber adversaries who are out to inflict damage for profit or political gain. It is a massive task and not something that one Ministry alone can achieve. We need a whole-of-government and also a whole-of-society approach to tackle these threats comprehensively.
15. That’s why the MoUs signed today are so important. Continuous collaboration and cooperation among public and private agencies are important in the success of the fight against high-tech crimes and upholding the rule of law. This will strengthen our cyber security capabilities and ensure that the overall ecosystem is in line with the National Cybersecurity Strategy.
16. Broadly speaking, the MoUs between Axiata, Cybersecurity Malaysia and MDEC will cover these areas:
● Joint consultations and cyber risk assessments
● Capacity building
● Threat intelligence
● Commercialisation support, networking, and industry exposure, and
● talent development and digital talent incubation
17. To fully realise the potential of the digital economy, the Ministry of Digital believes that investments in digital infrastructure and a robust regulatory framework must be matched by a strong supply of digitally savvy, future-proof talent.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
18. I believe that public-private partnerships like these are among the most effective strategies to combat cybercrimes and expedite responses to monitoring, detecting, and addressing cyber attacks.
19. I am encouraged and reassured by Axiata’s commitment to safeguarding customer information and upholding data privacy, especially in deploying cyber defence mechanisms in line with our national Cyber Security Strategy.
20. I’m informed that the ACFC team has developed an advanced cybersecurity platform, HELIOS, which won the Cyber Security Innovation (Product) of the Year at the Annual Malaysia Cyber Security Awards 2024 last week, and that the team is currently in the process of patenting this platform. Congratulations and Syabas!
21. To conclude, with a focused policy and regulatory approach centered on digital infrastructure, regulation, and talent development, the Ministry of Digital is committed to establishing a strong foundation to position Malaysia as a digital leader in ASEAN and beyond.
22. Once again, thank you very much for having me and it certainly has been a very interesting visit to the ACFC.
