Malaysia To Set Up National Security Cyber Centre
7th April 2006 (Bernama)

CYBERJAYA, April 7 (Bernama) -- The National Information Technology Council (NITC) Friday agreed that Malaysia should set up its National Security Cyber Centre soon, said Science, Technology and Innovations Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaludin Jarjis.

"We agreed today at the NITC meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to establish the centre to manage cyber-threats such as website attacks," he told reporters after the meeting and launch of the 10th anniversary of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) and the MSC Creative Multimedia Content here today.

Jamaludin said Malaysia needed to place greater importance on addressing cyber-security issues in order to remain competitive in the information and communications technology (ICT) world.

"It is important for us to manage the cyber-threats as we are now going more and more into the cyber-world, especially in terms of economic and commercial initiatives and even security," he said in explaining the need for such a centre.

The move received the support of all council members, including Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the Ministers involved.

Jamaludin said the country currently has the National ICT Security and Emergency Response Centre (Niser) which handles core ICT security issues.

Through collaboration with other agencies, Niser provides specialised ICT security services and continuously identifies possible gaps that could be detrimental to national security, he said.

Jamaludin said the Ministry would make use of Niser to start the ball rolling in setting up the National Security Cyber Centre.

"Various relevant agencies such as the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) will also play a role in making the centre a success," he said.

The Ministry, he added, would be looking for a specialist to head the centre but for initially it would be headed by Niser's director.

-- BERNAMA