KUALA LUMPUR: The government, via the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), will ensure that the price of 5G under the second network remains at the existing rate, said Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.

He said the price aspect was taken into account during the evaluation process.

“MCMC is concerned about this issue and has taken steps to ensure that the price remains when the second network is established. The process is still ongoing,“ he told the media after signing a cooperation agreement between Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) and CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM) to improve the country’s 5G network security here today.

The cooperation involves the development of 5G security guidelines that will be used as the basic guiding principles for the industry and future 5G security foundations.

“The 5G network is one of Malaysia’s critical national information sectors, impacting national defence, economic stability, governmental functions and social routines.

“Increasingly, digital advancements come with significant challenges, particularly in the realm of cybersecurity. Therefore, it must be looked at as a shared responsibility,“ the minister said in his speech.

At the same time, DNB and CSM will also establish a national 5G cyber security test centre to serve as a platform for industry players to identify vulnerabilities, ensure compliance with standards and track security measures.

Gobind also welcomed related industry players to establish cooperation to strengthen the country’s cyber security landscape.

Following the recent global information technology (IT) outage, he said the companies involved, be it Microsoft or CrowdStrike, need to guarantee that an audit will be conducted to ensure affected systems are safe.

“They need to ensure that such disruptions do not recur. If there are weaknesses, they have to be dealt with immediately.

“I have already informed the parties and we are in the process of getting a report. A media conference will be held thereafter,“ he said.

Gobind said he will shed further light on the issue and the measures needed to ensure that such disruptions do not recur.