The government faces a challenge in its national digitalisation agenda as Malaysia still requires approximately 12,000 cybersecurity experts from various fields to combat cyberattacks.
According to Communications and Digital Minister Fahmi Fadzil, the country currently has only 15,000 cybersecurity experts, falling short of the necessary 27,000.
Bernama reports that Fahmi emphasised the urgency of addressing this deficit, especially for companies operating in the digital economy, as they prioritise cybersecurity.
He mentioned that companies, depending on their size, may require between 20 to 30 cybersecurity professionals, with small and medium enterprises being no exception.
Fahmi highlighted that his ministry, through CyberSecurity Malaysia, has multiple initiatives in place to bolster the industry’s defenses against cyberattacks.
He also stressed the importance of cooperation between public and private institutions of higher learning and the potential involvement of foreign experts.
Furthermore, he noted that incentives, as mentioned in the Budget by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, are being considered to attract Malaysians back through TalentCorp and foreign experts to serve in Malaysia.
Regarding the timeline for addressing the shortage, Fahmi mentioned that, given the rapid development of the sector, no specific timeframe has been set.
He expects the number of cybersecurity experts to evolve annually, keeping pace with the industry’s growth and changing needs.
