PETALING JAYA: Cyber threats are becoming far more sophisticated. Artificial intelligence (AI)-driven attacks, ransomware, phishing scams, supply chain vulnerabilities, and threats targeting critical infrastructure are real, evolving risks that can impact businesses, economic stability, and public confidence.
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said that as AI systems become more integrated into business operations, cybersecurity becomes even more critical, meaning “cyber security today no longer remains an IT issue.”
“Cyber resilience today is becoming one of the foundations of economic resilience itself — because financial systems, logistics networks, healthcare services, energy systems, and digital platforms all depend on secure and trusted digital infrastructure,” Gobind said.
“Malaysia’s digital economy today contributes more than 23 per cent of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP), amounting to over RM450 billion in economic value, while small- and medium-enterprises (SMEs) form more than 97 per cent of businesses nationwide.
“So when we talk about cybersecurity for SMEs, we are not only talking about protecting systems. We are talking about protecting businesses, livelihoods, and trust in the digital economy itself.”
Gobind was speaking at the RHB Digital Trust Programme and the introduction of RHB Cyber-Secure in Petaling Jaya this morning.
He added that initiatives such as the RHB Digital Trust Programme are vital.
“The launch of RHB Cyber-Secure gives businesses, especially SMEs, a practical and structured way to assess cyber-readiness, identify vulnerabilities, and strengthen digital defences before incidents happen.
“Importantly, it recognises that cybersecurity and trust cannot remain accessible only to large corporations with extensive technical resources. This demonstrates strong industry leadership.”
Gobind said the collaboration between RHB Bank Berhad and CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM) reflects the fact that digital trust cannot be built by any single party alone.
“Governments cannot do it alone. Banks cannot do it alone. Technology companies cannot do it alone.
“It requires a collective and coordinated approach built on capability-building, awareness, talent development, intelligence sharing, and strong public-private partnerships that proactively defend against threats, strengthen incident response capabilities, and build long-term cyber resilience across the national ecosystem.”
He said this is why the Digital Ministry introduced the Government Innovation Initiative (GII), which focuses on implementation, deployment, and measurable impact by connecting real operational challenges with scalable digital solutions.
“Innovation without resilience creates vulnerability, but innovation built on trust creates long-term national strength.
“Because ultimately, trusted digital ecosystems are not built through policies alone. They are built when governments, industries, financial institutions, technology providers, and citizens move together to strengthen resilience, build capability, and create confidence in the systems people rely on daily,” he added.
