KUALA LUMPUR: As the country and global community continue the fight against Covid-19, the pandemic brought with it growing cyber-security issues.
In reflecting on past experiences and its current task at hand, the National Security Council (NSC) will also place heavy emphasis on addressing cyber threats in the National Security Policy 2021- 2025 to be launched by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin tomorrow.
Its deputy director-general Datuk Rodzi Md Saad however said the scope of national security is not limited to military might and policing, but covers all aspects of life, relevant with the current situation.
He said the policy would cover economy prosperity, social harmony, political stability and international relations, among others, with the objective of upholding the country’s security and sovereignty.
Non-traditional threats like cyber-security issues cover a wide range of aspects including data breaches, online scams and insider threats.
“It is imperative that we work together and foster unity among Malaysians. While we can have different views and voice our ideas, it should not be done at the expense of the country’s stability and security.
“One of our challenges is to deal with perception threats and fake information spreading in the cyber world, where any Malaysians can be citizen journalists. We are free to write but it should be done responsibly by verifying the information accuracy and authenticity,” he said in a media briefing via Zoom today.
Meanwhile, traditional threats to be addressed by the National Security Policy include illegal immigrants and refugees in the country, he said.
He said the policy also highlighted relations and cooperation between the states in Malaysia.
Also expected to be launched tomorrow in conjunction with the council’s 50th anniversary are the National Security Strategy Centre (Nastrac) and National Security Index (Indeks Keselamatan Kebangsaan or IKK), that would work in tandem with the policy, he said.
NSC’s corporate and policy division director Khairil Hilmi Mokhtar said IKK, which was recently approved by the government would see the council engaging other agencies and stakeholders in determining its indicators.
He said a holistic approach would be adopted to provide a more comprehensive view of the country’s security level.
This is because, many index reports only covered certain aspects like maqasid Syariah and national unity, while assessments by international bodies were done independently, with some not reflecting the real situation in the country.
“There will be various indicators used, including gross domestic product and unemployment rate in Malaysia. We must be transparent and accountable in the assessment for the index that is expected to be implemented in 2023, giving a true reflection of the situation in Malaysia.
“The information from the index can be used by others like investors to make informed decisions,” he said.
NSC plays a crucial role in the country’s Covid-19 pandemic management and was responsible in coordinating efforts for national crises since its establishment in 1971.
Source: New Straits Times
