Malaysia Aims To Lead Southeast Asia In Combatting Cybersecurity Threats — Fahmi Fadzil
Fahmi said the progress of technology must be complemented by regulations that protect users and encourage innovation.
By Sukhbir Cheema — 08 Jan 2025, 10:59 AM
In 2024, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) blocked over 3.1 billion scam calls
According to the New Straits Times, the commission also handled nearly 12,000 complaints last year, reflecting its commitment to tackling cyber threats in the country.
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil hailed the efforts as a milestone and described it as Malaysia's commitment to addressing cybersecurity issues in the country.
"This is a milestone which underscores Malaysia's commitment to combating cyber threats and fostering a safer digital environment," he said in his opening speech at the second International Regulatory Conference (IRC 2025) in Kuala Lumpur on 7 January.
The two-day conference highlighted key issues like cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing, with regional collaboration at its core.
Fahmi also revealed that between 1 to 7 January 2025 alone, the MCMC flagged 4,699 social media posts for removal
Online gambling and scams accounted for 86% of the flagged content.
"Posts related to just these two issues already make up about 86%. We will continue to monitor and regulate postings that are deemed illegal," he said to reporters.
Fahmi added that the progress of technology must be complemented by regulations that protect users and encourage innovation
He called on Asean countries to develop unified digital standards and policies to ensure equitable access to technology while remaining globally competitive.
"The IRC 2025 is among Malaysia's efforts to collaborate with regional partners within Asean to establish common digital standards and foster innovation among Asean countries and beyond," he said.
Malaysia, as chair of Asean, is positioning itself as a leader in this space.
"As chair of Asean, Malaysia aims to lead the development of regional policies focusing on cybersecurity and equitable access to technology, ensuring the region remains competitive on the global stage," he said
