Malaysia Calls For Stronger ASEAN Cooperation On AI-Related Cyber Threats
SINGAPORE, Oct 14 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has called for stronger regional collaboration among ASEAN members to collectively address increasingly sophisticated cybersecurity threats amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI), said the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA).
NACSA Chief Executive Dr Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin noted that no country could work alone to build resilience and safeguard its cybersecurity ecosystem in an evolving cyber threat landscape.
He believed that closer cooperation will ensure that the ASEAN region did not become a potential attack surface or an attractive target for cybercriminals seeking to exploit vulnerabilities across the region.
While AI could enhance productivity and make life easier, Megat Zuhairy stressed that the growing sophistication of threats arising from its rapid advancement had become a key concern, and ASEAN countries should therefore focus on managing these threats, he added.
“Most of us have yet to find a clear solution to that problem.
“I think all of us agree to the fact that we need to collaborate and find the solution together,” he told Bernama on the sidelines of the Singapore International Cybersecurity Week (SICW).
In the meantime, Singapore has announced an additional commitment of S$30 million (RM95.7 million) over five years to sustain and strengthen international and regional capacity-building efforts through the ASEAN-Singapore Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence (ASCCE).
The announcement was made during the opening of the 11th ASEAN Ministerial Conference on Cybersecurity (AMCC) at SICW on Wednesday.
Megat Zuhairy said the additional funding would complement information-sharing and capacity-building efforts, which are among the key thrusts of the ASEAN Cybersecurity Cooperation Strategy 2026-2030, led by Malaysia.
The funding also aligns with the ASEAN Regional Computer Emergency Response Team (ASEAN CERT) action plan as well as existing cooperation with ASEAN dialogue partners, including Japan.
He said the proposed expansion of capacity-building programmes under the additional funding through ASCCE should focus not only on theoretical knowledge but also on pragmatic solutions to emerging cyber threats and defence mechanism.
“The focus should be on the practical implementation of measures to prevent cyber threats and protect the region as a whole,” he added.
-- BERNAMA
