Malaysia, Asean step up AI security amid rising cyber threats

New Straits Times

29-04-2025

SINGAPORE: Malaysia and Asean member states are ramping up efforts to strengthen artificial intelligence (AI) security initiatives and standards, including exploring cross-border talent-sharing proposals, in a bid to counter the growing threat of global cybercrime.
CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM) chief executive officer Datuk Dr Amirudin Abdul Wahab, emphasised the need for Asean countries to build regional trust around cross-border data exchanges to tackle cybersecurity threats in a more integrated manner.
Cyber threats are largely similar across countries, and addressing these risks requires joint efforts among nations, he said while speaking at the recent GITEX ASIA x AI Everything Singapore Exhibition.
Amirudin highlighted that while Asean countries already collaborate through the Asean Regional CERT—a platform for sharing cyber incident information—additional measures are needed, particularly as AI technologies evolve rapidly.
"Initiatives to strengthen AI security are very important; for example, we in Malaysia are working on something called regional standards related to AI security. This matter was also decided and agreed upon in the Asean Digital Senior Officials' Meeting (ADGSOM) earlier this year.
"However, at the same time, we need to build a form of regional trust in cross-border data exchange that includes participation in simulation training and the development of our own platforms and various other things," he said.
He highlighted that while Asean already has the Asean Regional Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) for sharing cyber incident information, there is now an urgent need to fortify frameworks in line with AI's rapid evolution.
Amirudin also called for greater mobility of cybersecurity and AI talent across Asean to address skills shortages and enhance regional cooperation.
Talent in cybersecurity and AI remains scarce. Facilitating cross-border talent movement could significantly strengthen regional collaboration, particularly amid increasing globalisation challenges, he added.
He also shared Malaysia's national efforts to ensure the ethical and secure development and deployment of AI technologies.
Malaysia's National Artificial Intelligence Office (NAIO) has developed seven frameworks focused on areas including AI security, cybersecurity for AI, and AI sovereignty.
"These seven frameworks cover areas such as AI security, cybersecurity for AI, and sovereignty in AI, in addition to various other areas, which also involve the participation of stakeholders in cybersecurity.
"It does not only involve the government, but also players in the public, private and academic industries play a role," he said.
Adding to the discussion, senior officer of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) Justin Ang emphasised that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility and that Asean nations must enhance international and regional cooperation urgently.
He said that as a country, Singapore is certainly small compared to the influence of the Asean coalition to strengthen cybersecurity.
"Basically, we want to exchange information faster because it is urgent given that AI technology is moving so fast," he said.
Similarly, Panupong Thanutong, head of IT security and acting director of the IT office at Thailand's National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA), stressed the immediate need to build robust regional resilience against cyber threats.
"We have a lot of regional cooperation and the risks of AI are burdensome and need to be assessed together. We need to have a platform to share newly received (threat) information," he said.
Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla-Taborlupa, spokesperson for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, cautioned that the AI landscape is evolving rapidly.
She said that although each country has established laws and policies, the technology is always moving fast and making it difficult to adapt existing legislation and frameworks to address the threats of the technology.
"In the Philippines, we are advocating for stronger policies to address this evolving technology landscape, but there are many aspects that need attention, especially in terms of ethics. For example, AI and robotics integrated into military systems without proper control can lead to unintended consequences.
"However, the main role of the military is to protect the people and maintain national security, so we must establish cooperation and coordination with other government agencies, non-government agencies, and also the public sector as a whole," she said.