KUALA LUMPUR – The Election Commission (EC) is working with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and other relevant authorities to safeguard its systems following reports of a suspected cyberattack targeting its website.
EC chairman Datuk Seri Ramlan Harun said the commission had yet to receive a comprehensive report on the alleged incident but had taken preliminary steps to prevent its systems from being compromised, local media reported.
"I have yet to receive the full report on the matter, and, God willing, the EC will issue an official statement soon.
"Let us all pray that the cyber attack does not target our website, as it is very important to the conduct of the election," he told reporters after inspecting the early voting process for the 16th Melaka State Election at Sekolah Menengah Kem Terendak in Sungai Udang today.
Asked about measures to prevent a breach of the commission's systems, Ramlan confirmed that the EC had been working with MCMC and other relevant authorities.
"Yes, we have worked with all relevant authorities to ensure that this does not happen, God willing.
"We have been working together and are taking action to protect our system from being breached," he said.
He added that the commission would issue an official statement on the matter in the near future.
Earlier, an EC live broadcast on social media indicated that its website was believed to be facing a cyberattack threat.
The development comes amid growing concerns over cybersecurity threats against critical infrastructure and essential public services.
National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) chief executive Dr Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajuddin said recently that cybercriminals were increasingly moving beyond data theft towards disrupting physical operations, including systems supporting healthcare, energy, water supply and supply chains.
He cited incidents in Europe involving disruptions to supermarket operations and blood bank refrigeration systems as examples of how cyberattacks could directly affect essential services.
He also warned that advances in artificial intelligence (AI) had enabled cybercriminals to launch automated attacks against multiple organisations simultaneously, increasing the scale and speed of potential intrusions.
Meanwhile, the National Security Council (NSC) raised the National Cyber Threat Level (NCTL) from Low to Moderate on Nov 4 as a precautionary measure to strengthen the country's preparedness.
Megat Zuhairy stressed that the move did not indicate a national cybersecurity crisis but was intended to improve vigilance and readiness.
Following the decision, sector leads and entities under the National Critical Information Infrastructure (NCII) framework were instructed to strengthen monitoring and submit weekly reports to NACSA, even if no incidents had occurred.
"No system is completely immune to attacks, but preparedness and the ability to recover quickly can reduce the impact of an incident on the public," he said.
Under the Cyber Security Act 2024 (Act 854), NCII entities are required to comply with stringent cybersecurity measures to strengthen the resilience of their systems and services.- November 10, 2026
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