By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Oct 18: The federal government has allocated RM30 million to bolster Malaysia’s cybersecurity and address escalating threats, including scams, child pornography, and cyberbullying.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, in tabling the National Budget 2025, announced that as part of the government’s commitment to strengthening national cybersecurity, the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) will receive 100 additional personnel along with an extra RM10 million allocation.
“This move aligns with the development of the Cybersecurity Act 2024.
“In addition, the role of the National Scam Response Centre has been enhanced with an RM20 million allocation,” he stated during the budget speech, which was broadcast live on TVS today.
Anwar acknowledged that cyber threats are increasingly undermining societal norms, citing the rising severity of scams, child pornography, and cyberbullying on social media—issues that have led to tragic consequences, including loss of life.
To tackle the growing issue of cyberbullying, he revealed that an Online Security Bill will be introduced with the aim of holding service providers accountable for enhancing safety measures, particularly for children.
In the fight against online fraud, Anwar highlighted the launch of the National Fraud Portal, designed to automatically detect suspicious transactions.
“Suspicious transactions totalling over RM380 million have been successfully blocked in efforts to curb scams. However, the situation remains critical as scam cases continue to rise,” he added.
Anwar also noted that amendments to Act 572 of the Penal Code and Act 593 of the Criminal Procedure Code have been made this year, enabling law enforcement agencies to take more effective action against mule account syndicates. — DayakDaily
