Axiata and CyberSecurity MY to sign MoU to beef up Malaysia's cyber safety

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Axiata Group and CyberSecurity Malaysia are slated to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in the near future to strengthen the country's cybersecurity.

Communications and Digital Minister, Fahmi Fadzil said that the two are in the final stages of finalising the MOU. “I am pleased that Cybersecurity Malaysia and MDEC (Malaysia Digital Economy Cooperation) will be exploring a collaboration with the Axiata Cyber Fusion Centre on several key initiatives to ensure that citizens, public and private sector organisations and our national infrastructure continue to be secured in the cyber realm.” Fahmi was speaking at the launch of Axiata Cyber Fusion Center facility.

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According to The Edge Malaysia, Fahmi said that he welcomes this effort and hopes that Cybersecurity Malaysia and the Ministry of Communications and Digital will be able to get more parties to establish cooperation. He added that it may be necessary to work on an alliance among cybersecurity service providers in Malaysia, in order to face the challenging aspects of cybersecurity in the future.

The working visit included a tour of the Axiata Cyber Fusion Center facility and a simulation of a cyberattack, to showcase the centre’s capabilities to strengthen the cyber-resilience of both business and public sector organisations, including critical national infrastructure.

Vivek Sood, the group CEO and managing director of Axiata, said “As Malaysian businesses progress towards digitalisation, evolving cyber threats are getting increasingly sophisticated, placing organisations at higher risk.” He added that improving the awareness and adoption of strong cybersecurity practices is key to enhancing the business resilience of corporations, securing Malaysia’s digital ecosystem and driving inclusive growth.

“Through the Axiata Cyber Fusion Centre, we aim to advance Malaysia’s cybersecurity capabilities and build a trusted digital tech ecosystem to protect and support Malaysia’s digital economy,” he explained.

Earlier in his speech, Fahmi reportedly urged local telcos, including Axiata, to think of a wider footprint for their operations. He said that Axiata operates in many Asian countries but it could be a worthy pursuit for it to consider expanding beyond Malaysian shores.

Cybersecurity has been a topic of focus for Malaysia’s communications and digital ministry. Earlier this year in August, Minister Fahmi revealed that a cybersecurity table will be tabled in parliament by the end of the year. It is currently being drafted by the National Cyber Security Agency, under the National Security Council in order to strengthen the country’s resilience and response to cyber threats. He added that the bill is currently in the process of being brought to the cabinet meeting before its details can be explained to the public. In conjunction with the unveiling of 5G in Malaysia, the topic of cybersecurity has grown in importance.

In 2020, The Malaysian government set aside RM1.8 billion for its Malaysia Cyber Security Strategy (MCSS) 2020-2024 to improve the country's cyber security preparedness. The Communications and Multimedia Ministry and the National Cyber Security Agency was responsible for creating, implementing, liaising and monitoring the action plan.

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