KUALA LUMPUR: The Digital Ministry plans to create suitable policies and frameworks with the establishment of a data committee following huge investments seen coming into the country from Google, Microsoft and other global companies.
With these huge foreign investments, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said, the ministry will create a committee to ensure data safety is given top priority in Malaysia.
“The committee will then be suggested to the government to be a data commission by March 2025,” he told the media at the signing of a collaboration agreement between Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) and Cybersecurity Malaysia (CSM) today.
Gobind said the ministry is committed to creating a safe cyber ecosystem by developing appropriate legislations to enhance Malaysia’s cybersecurity. “In this process, the ministry will make sure that views are taken from all including the industry. In this case, the ministry also supports all efforts to collaborate between agencies and industries.”
On a separate matter, Gobind said the government, through Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), will ensure that the price of 5G services under the second network remains at the current rate. “MCMC is mindful of this issue and has taken steps to maintain the existing price as the second network is rolled out and the process is ongoing.”
DNB and CSM signed a collaboration agreement to bolster the security of Malaysia’s 5G network against cyber threats.
Witnessed by the minister, the collaboration was formalised at DNB’s My5G Portal Experience Centre today.
DNB and CSM will establish a National 5G Cybersecurity Testing Centre, which will serve as a platform for industry players to identify vulnerabilities, ensure compliance with standards and validate security measures.
The partnership will also see the exchange of threat intelligence information between the two entities to strengthen the nation’s cyberthreat combat capabilities.
Gobind welcomed the initiative to strengthen the cybersecurity of Malaysia’s 5G network as it is one of Malaysia’s Critical National Information Infrastructure sectors.
“This will impact national defence, economy, stability governmental functions and social routines, as digital space has become an integral part of daily lives, living innovation, economic growth and societal progress. However, with these advancements come significant challenges, particularly in the realm of cybersecurity,” he said in his speech earlier.
Gobind said 5G has helped to improve the overall mobile internet experience for Malaysians, as the adoption rate of 5G in the country is currently at 43.6%, with more than 14.8 million 5G service subscriptions recorded to date.
