Malaysia, which is committed in ensuring a safe cyberspace, must initiate a group via the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to provide its expertise in combating various cybercrime related to its ASEAN counterparts.
Crime analyst Kamal Affandi Hashim said MCMC through the initiated group will be able share its expertise in creating a cybercrime database, that will act as a platform in sharing the trend of such crimes happening around the region.
He said that information can be verified and disseminated through MCMC for relevant parties for further action.
According to the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2017, Malaysia is ranked third among 193 countries in terms of its commitment to cybersecurity.
Other ASEAN members: Singapore ranked first, Thailand 20th, the Philippines 37th, Brunei 53rd, Indonesia 70th, Lao 77th, Cambodia 92nd, Myanmar 100th and Vietnam 101th.
Kamal Affandi said governments globally are worried about online hackers not only on network side, but also on other assets like the power grid.
“It may cause havoc to a country, if not addressed well. So, I strongly believe that ASEAN member countries need this group to address the growing cyber threat in this region,” he told The ASEAN Post via phone interview.
He explained that previously cyber threat was only in the form of hardware but unfortunately today software is equally used as a weapon to manipulate and interrupt computer systems.
Kamal Affandi said ASEAN member countries already have greater co-operation in place such as the ASEANAPOL – which is a platform to gather database of crime and cybercrime within the ASEAN region.
According to Philippines Foreign Service Institute, the ASEAN 2025 blueprint on political-security community focuses on strengthening of co-operation between member states in combating cybercrimes, developing and improving relevant laws and capabilities to address cybercrime issues and enhance cybersecurity.