Back in April 2023, we reported that that the Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil announced that the country is taking steps to establish a national cybersecurity commission and amend the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) to improve protection of Malaysians’ data and combat scammers.
FMT reports that Fahmi suggests that transforming the National Cybersecurity Agency (Nacsa) into a statutory body as a regulatory commission would strengthen the nation’s cybersecurity ecosystem.
He emphasises the necessity for such a commission, drawing attention to the existence of regulatory commissions in sectors like telecommunications, energy, and water. He envisions the potential development of Nacsa as a cybersecurity commission through a parliamentary act.
Fahmi believes that this initiative would address concerns raised by cybersecurity experts regarding the absence of a dedicated commission responsible for cybersecurity, thereby completing Malaysia’s cybersecurity ecosystem.
Also, Fahmi urges the corporate sector to invest in appropriate cyber security policies based on the scale of their operations. He emphasises that this recommendation is prompted by feedback from industry players indicating that many companies in Malaysia fail to recognize the importance of investing in cyber security.
Fahmi highlights the significance of cyber security and data protection in light of the digital economy’s projected contribution of 25.5% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2025. As a result of a recent meeting, Fahmi calls for extensive discussions with the corporate sector, possibly involving professional bodies representing companies, to raise awareness about cyber security. These statements were made after Fahmi attended the Cyber Security Industry Town Hall session organized by CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM).
Fahmi expresses his hope that the cyber security sector will continue to support CSM in formulating and implementing initiatives related to cyber security in the country. In a statement, CSM explains that the town hall session aims to bolster the efforts of the Ministry of Communications and Digital, which leads the development of Malaysia’s cyber security industry, to address increasingly complex cyber challenges and threats.
