KUALA LUMPUR: The National ICT Association of Malaysia (PIKOM) has advised private and public sectors to work closely together with academia and industry to address latest and upcoming cybersecurity issues while developing local talent.
PIKOM cybersecurity chapter chairperson Alex Liew said Malaysia would need the appropriate skills and training in artificial intelligence (A1), internet-of-things (IOT), machine learning and big data across all industries as he foresees these technologies shaping the future of cybersecurity concerns.
"There is a pressing and urgent need for Malaysia to reach the national target of 10,500 cybersecurity professionals by 2020.
"Given the growing role of the digital economy and its rising contributions to the overall ICT industry and the Malaysian economy, local organisations should not just hope that they would not be hacked but need to be proactive to ensure that their IT infrastructures are safe-guarded at all times," added Liew.
Liew also shared that PIKOM cybersecurity chapter would continue to create awareness and provide information updates on latest cybersecurity concerns while developing local talent in this field.
“It is also our responsibility to expand the cybersecurity market in line with the growth of Malaysia’s digital economy which we expect to surpass 20 percent of GDP in 2020,” he further said, adding that the digital economy currently contributes about 18.3 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).
PIKOM also recently expressed its fullest support for the Paris Call for Trust & Security in Cyberspace (Paris Call), an initiative to bring various countries together to counter the threat of cyberwarfare.
The Paris Call was launched late last year by French President Emmanuel Macron with the intention of bringing together countries and supporters from across the world on a consensus statement relating to growing concerns about cyber threats.
“The Paris Call is an important step towards peace and security within today’s global digital economy especially in protecting citizens, elections and the internet,” Liew said.