29-07-2025
‘Policy gaps must be addressed to beat cybercrime'
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo speaks at the ASEAN-GCC Economic forum 2025 at Mandarin Oriental hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, —AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star.
KUALA LUMPUR: With over 6,000 cybercrime threats recorded last year and losses exceeding RM1.22bil, Malaysia must address the policy gaps related to cybersecurity, according to Gobind Singh Deo (pic).
The Digital Minister revealed these figures when launching the Asean 5GOT Security Summit 2025 here yesterday.
'We read and hear about Malaysians falling victim to online scams, fake investment schemes and phishing attacks.
'CyberSecurity Malaysia reported that over 6,000 cyber incidents were recorded in 2024, with the majority involving fraud, intrusions and malicious codes,' he said.
He added that to build resilience of cybersecurity across organisations, Malaysia must address gaps in policy, tools, talent and cross-border enforcement holistically.
He cited Malaysia's decisive steps to strengthen its cybersecurity landscape through the enactment of the Cyber Security Act 2024, which came into force last August.
'Malaysia is also expanding its global footprint. On April 9, the Cabinet approved accession to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime.
'The country is also preparing to sign the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime in Hanoi this October,' he added.
The ministry, he added, is set to table the Cybercrime Bill 2025 to Parliament in October.
He said that the proposed law will be able to deal with cyberthreats more effectively amidst technological advances.
It was reported that the Bill would replace the outdated Computer Crimes Act 1997.
Speaking to reporters later, Gobind said that a cybersecurity enforcement strategy will be presented to the Cabinet by the Digital Ministry.
Prepared by CyberSecurity Malaysia, the strategy includes a proposal for a dedicated enforcement agency to implement existing laws effectively.
'We need to have an agency that will be able to enforce the measures under the existing laws because if you have measures alone but there is no one to enforce them, then that's going to be a problem.
'However, that will be something for the Cabinet to decide as we move along,' he said.
Gobind added that while CyberSecurity Malaysia has the capacity, the Cabinet will be consulted on the decision to empower specific agencies by this year.
He said various ministries will be engaged over the matters, including the Home Ministry, Communications Ministry, and the Law and Institutional Reform Ministry.
'It's important to get feedback from the Cabinet. We are also taking steps to engage with the industry and experts.
'I think that will be very helpful in shaping how we design our strategies, including towards enforcement, as we prepare the country for the challenge of building a trusted digital ecosystem moving forward,' he added.
