KUALA LUMPUR: The tech industry applauds the government's move to improve the nation's capacity to combat cybercrime in the 2023 Budget.
Cisco Malaysia managing director Hana Raja said digital transformation must go hand in hand with cyber resilience.
"We laud the government for providing RM10 million for the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) to address the rising rate of cybercrime.
"Creating a safer digital ecosystem will bolster the confidence of consumers, businesses and investors in the digital economy and gear up Malaysia for the digital leap."
Kaspersky's Southeast Asia general manager, Yeo Siang Tiong, said the introduction of cybersecurity training for 1,250 veterans of the armed forces in collaboration with other government agencies was a positive step forward.
"We also commend the Communications and Digital Ministry for enabling an audit of cybersecurity to be carried out at the federal and state government levels," he said.
Meanwhile, the push towards encouraging digitalisation in small- and medium-sized enterprises will fast-track the uptake of digital adoption.
Another commendable initiative in the 2023 Budget is the allocation of RM10 million in operating grants for NSRC, as well as the plans by the Bank Negara to enforce the "kill switch" policy at all banking institutions when suspicious activity is detected.
"Clearly, we continue to understand that cybersecurity has no silver bullet and that we each have a role to play. We hope that these steps will continue to build a safer cyberspace," he said.
Another cybersecurity player, Trend Micro, commended the government's unwavering commitment to elevating the digital security landscape.
Trend Micro commends the Malaysian government's commitment to push forward the country's digital transformation. The emphasis on strengthening digitalisation, spurring innovation, and improving connectivity will not only increase stakeholder and end-user confidence but also propel the nation further, accommodating the needs of our digital lifestyles while spurring economic growth for our nation.
Trend Micro Malaysia and Nascent Countries managing director Goh Chee Hoh said the allocation of RM10 million to improve the operations of the National Scam Response Center (NSRC) is a welcome move to address the growing problem of online fraud, with 25,000 cases recorded in 2022 costing RM850 million in Malaysia.
This is pivotal to continue strengthening the country's cybersecurity resilience by improving the monitoring, detection, and cybercrime reporting capabilities.
"It is also encouraging to see the government's sustained commitment to digitizing public agencies by ensuring the effectiveness of its cloud computing services, with the Malaysian Administrative Modernization and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU) taking strategic steps to upgrade the hybrid cloud service MyGovCloud. It is crucial for decision-makers to recognize the importance of cybersecurity as new vulnerabilities and security risks remain constant," he said.
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/Captions:
Hana Raja (hana.jpg)
Yeo Siang Tiong (yeo.jpg)
Goh Chee Hoh (goh.jpg)