Malaysia must build the capacity to anticipate cyber attacks instead of waiting to react to them, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said, Bernama reported, as the government moves to harden banking and other critical institutions.
“We must build strength to anticipate attacks. Do not wait to be reactive. We must be prepared to anticipate,” he said at the 14th Series of the Malaysia MADANI Intellectual Forum in Kuala Lumpur on 6 November.
He said the threat is no longer confined to developing nations. European countries with sophisticated security and economic infrastructure are also facing serious attacks, which he said shows the danger is not theoretical.
The government has held a National Security Council meeting to review existing expertise and capability against cyber threats. The council, which advises the prime minister on security policy, met to test how far current skills stretch against an attack.
Members of Parliament have received detailed briefings, while Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar met ministry secretaries-general, directors-general and senior officials to coordinate preparations for possible intrusions.
Anwar, who moderated the forum, said thorough preparation matters because cyber attacks arrive in many forms and not all can be detected early. The session, according to Scoop, also covered agricultural resilience and food security, which it framed as pillars of long-term economic and national security.
He described the monthly forum as a space for academics, researchers, industry players and the public service to put forward views and criticism, including positions that differ from government policy.
“We hold this forum in a relaxed, informal manner. I listen to the views from friends, then we summarise and bring necessary matters to the Cabinet,” he said.
Also present were Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, SD Guthrie group chief executive and president Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad, and PNB Research Institute chief executive Dr Sarena Che Omar.
Anwar said the views raised should not stay academic. They must be translated into action and improvement in the national administration, and open discussion helps identify weaknesses in existing policy.
No timeline was given for the coordination work described, and neither source said when the briefings to MPs began.
