22/05/2026

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FRIDAY | MAY 22, 2026

Digital trust strategy being finalised

o It is expected to be tabled in third quarter alongside launch of agency that will oversee its implementation and enforcement: Gobind

strengthen oversight and enforce ment capabilities. “It is an existing agency, but we will have to re structure it so that it can also look at how it can enforce the strategy.” The government intends to roll out both the strategy and its implementation mechanism con currently to ensure that policy direction, enforcement capability and operational readiness are aligned from the outset. Gobind said digital trust and cybersecurity would become in creasingly critical as Malaysia expands AI adoption, digital services and connected technologies across businesses, financial systems and public services. “I often say that the vision of the ministry to achieve an AI nation in 2030 is an important vision for our country. We need to ensure that the Malaysian people are ready for the digital era that we will see.” Public confidence would ulti mately determine whether busi nesses and consumers embrace emerging technologies and digital systems. Gobind said. “In the digital era, we want to ask people to use the digital platforms and tools available. We need to ensure that the confi dence aspect can be maintained and strengthened.” Gobind said Malaysia’s digital economy contributed about 23% to gross domestic product in 2023, equivalent to roughly RM450 billion, and the government aims to raise digital economy contribution to 30% by 2030 under the AI Nation agenda launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. “If people don’t trust the product,

Ű BY HAYATUN RAZAK sunbiz@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: The National Digital Trust and Data Security Strategy is expected to be tabled in the third quarter of this year, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said. This will be done alongside the launch of an implementation mechanism within a restructured CyberSecurity Malaysia as the government moves to strengthen oversight, enforcement and public trust amid accelerating artificial intelligence (AI) adoption and digital transformation efforts. Gobind said the strategy is being finalised alongside efforts to establish a clearer institutional and enforce ment framework within CyberSecurity Malaysia to ensure the policy can be effectively executed once launched. “I hope that in the third quarter of this year, we will be able to table the strategy and also launch the agency that will implement it,” he told reporters after officiating the RHB Digital Trust Programme yesterday. Gobind said the strategy would be implemented through a restructured CyberSecurity Malaysia, with a dedicated section established within the agency to oversee implement ation, coordination and enforcement efforts “We are now looking at how we can at the same time ensure that the agency is ready to be built when we launch the strategy,” he said. Gobind said the implementation structure would not involve setting up a new institution, but instead restructuring an existing agency to

From left: RHB Bank head of group transaction banking for group wholesale banking Dev Raaj Shanmugam, CyberSecurity Malaysia chief technology officer Wan Roshaimi Wan Abdullah, RHB Bank chairman Tan Sri Ahmad Badri, Gobind, CyberSecurity Malaysia chairman Al-Ishsal Ishak, Mohd Rashid Mohamad and CyberSecurity Malaysia acting CEO Roshdi Ahmad. – DIGITAL MINISTRY PIC

Zeti said governments, businesses and the public must adjust to changing conditions and build resilience to perform across different scenarios, including challenges yet to emerge. She added that responding effectively to disruptions requires anticipation rather than reaction, warning against relying solely on reactive measures as conditions continue to evolve. “Being anticipatory allows for pre emptive and forward-looking actions. Being pre-emptive in the manage ment of shocks will also help minimise the potential costs and consequences of the disruption. “An important determining factor in managing these conditions is the speed and quality of decision-making under uncertainty, and this will be a function of the government’s insti tutional design, which must take into account the sense of urgency of the circumstances,” she said. – Bernama RHB Banking Group managing director and group CEO Mohd Rashid Mohamad said cybersecurity had become a critical business issue for SMEs as digitalisation accelerates. “Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical afterthought, it is a business survival issue for SMEs. Through RHB CyberSecure, we want to give businesses a practical and accessible way to understand their cyber risks, strengthen resilience and operate with greater confidence in an increasingly digital environment. This reflects our broader commitment to supporting businesses beyond financing, by helping them navigate evolving risks in a rapidly digitalising economy,” he said. Malaysia exchanged a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cyber awareness, capability-building and resilience among Malaysian busi nesses through joint initiatives.

that potential,” she said. Earlier in her keynote address, Zeti said the global environment is increasingly being challenged by continuous disruptions arising from geopolitical conflicts, policy shifts by major economies, as well as rapid technological and digital trans formation, resulting in greater uncertainty and a more fragmented global economy. She said structural shifts in global trade and rising economic nationalism have further intensified uncertainty, while supply disruptions and sustained cost pressures, particularly from energy-related shocks, continue to test the resilience of economies, businesses and societies. “We are operating in a period of heightened and persistent uncer tainty. This uncertainty has to be taken as a given. It has become part of the new normal, the new tomorrow,” she said. logies and human oversight. The question is, are we in control? And who is making sure that the data that has been fed into this are correct, accurate, secure?” Gobind said. The RHB Digital Trust Programme was launched alongside RHB CyberSecure, a cybersecurity self assessment tool designed to help small and medium enterprises better understand cyber and fraud risks, assess cybersecurity readiness and strengthen digital resilience. The programme, themed “Pro gressing Together – Secure, Smart and Future-Ready”, aims to support busi nesses in navigating rising cyber threats, fraud risks and digital vul nerabilities through practical tools, industry collaboration and know ledge-sharing initiatives. As part of the programme, RHB Bank Bhd and CyberSecurity

Zeti said Malaysia has the capacity to respond effectively to changing circumstances, but such efforts must involve not only the government but also the private sector. She stressed the importance of strong coordination mechanisms and continuous assessment of developments to ensure responses remain anticipatory and forward looking. “Usually in the past, and I believe we still have it, there was a National Economic Action Council, supported by a strong secretariat that analysed the developments taking place so that we were anticipatory and pre emptive. “That is what will count. And I have confidence that Malaysia has they’re not going to use it. Public confidence would ultimately deter mine the pace of AI adoption, digital transformation and broader use of online services across businesses, financial systems and government platforms.” Gobind said rapid adoption of AI and digital systems without sufficient safeguards could expose users, businesses and institutions to signi ficant risks. “Because we are building things so fast, that you may come to a point where you might just one day look back and say, I forgot about security. And it may be too late.” Incidents involving AI systems and connected technology illustrate broader concerns surrounding system reliability, governance and accountability, he added. “It highlighted wider questions surrounding autonomous techno

Zeti confident Malaysia can navigate global uncertainties, avoid crisis KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s current economic disruptions arising from the United States-Iran conflict should be managed effectively to prevent them from escalating into a conflict, under these different scenarios, we have to prepare ourselves for how we are going to respond,” she added.

Zeti later stressed the importance of strengthening resilience against external developments beyond the country’s control, saying co ordinated efforts and preparedness remain essential in navigating evolving global conditions. She said Malaysia’s eco

crisis, former Bank Negara Malaysia governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz ( pic ) said. She expressed confi dence in the country’s ability to navigate global uncertainties through co ordinated action and proactive planning. “It’s a disruption, yes, and if managed well, it won’t become a crisis.

nomic fundamentals re main intact, but policy makers and businesses need to prepare for different scenarios arising from global developments beyond the country’s control. “We have our funda mental system, right? Yes,

correct. But we face global develop ments that are beyond our control. We have to take them as a given. “And so we have to operate with different potential scenarios that could occur. Whether it is an early end to the war or a prolonged

That’s what we want to do – emerge from it,” she told reporters after her keynote address at the FLUX Business Forum 2026, held in partnership with the Malaysian German Chamber of Commerce and Industry here yesterday.