KUALA LUMPUR: All information and communications technology (ICT) procurement involving government entities has been streamlined since June this year through the National Digital Department, says Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.
He said this measure allowed all applications to undergo a strict and thorough review process aimed at eliminating past issues, such as overlapping applications and the procurement of outdated or ineffective systems, as well as addressing vendor-related problems.
He added that the ministry had established a committee to oversee the new scheme and propose further improvements to enhance procurement processes moving forward.
"The Madani government takes cybersecurity matters seriously and has implemented measures to address weak ICT systems nationwide, including within government agencies.
"Steps have been taken to build and create digitally resilient systems in government, ensuring transparency in the acquisition process and the security of the data stored within these systems at all times," he said in a statement today.
Gobind also said that the ministry and its agencies were revisiting and improving existing public sector ICT security policies.
They are exploring the adoption of new solutions and better practices, such as Privacy by Design (PbD), Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA), and Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs), alongside cybersecurity audits and risk assessments to better protect digital assets and data.
He also said that the Cyber Security Act, which came into force in August this year, would strengthen cybersecurity across various sectors by providing cybersecurity standards for organisations.
It was previously reported that 150 out of 740 active IT systems within a government agency lack identified owners. National Security Council (NSC) member Datuk Raja Nurshirwan Zainal Abidin revealed that this issue surfaced after one of the systems was hacked last month. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/09/1112564/it-procurement-scanda...
He described the situation as alarming, attributing the problem to a conspiracy between government officials and IT vendors that allowed procurement processes to be completed without sufficient oversight.