ALL government ministries and agencies have been directed to review their Business Continuity Plans (BCPs) to ensure critical public services can continue operating in the event of disruptions to essential national infrastructure.
Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar said the directive was part of efforts to strengthen national security preparedness amid growing global uncertainty and geopolitical tensions that could trigger various threats.
He said national security risk assessments must now account for non-conventional threats, including cyberattacks, sabotage, disinformation and disruptions to supply chains.
"Given the current global situation, which is facing uncertainty and conflicts of interest, it is the government's responsibility to assess threats that are no longer limited to conventional forms.
"Mechanisms must also be strengthened to address cyber threats, sabotage, disinformation and supply chain disruptions," he said in a Facebook post last night.
Shamsul Azri said ministries had also been instructed to strengthen inter-agency coordination, information sharing and clarify the respective responsibilities of each agency to ensure swift responses to potential threats.
He said the BCP reviews were intended to ensure critical government functions could continue if communications, energy, transportation systems or other essential facilities were disrupted.
The measures were in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's statement in Parliament yesterday on strengthening national security preparedness.
Shamsul Azri said national sovereignty and security would not be compromised, with the government treating all risks to strategic sectors and public safety as top priorities.
On Tuesday, Anwar told the Dewan Rakyat that the government was taking proactive measures to strengthen the country's preparedness against global cyber threats and escalating geopolitical tensions, including ensuring adequate supplies of food, water and energy.
He said a special National Security Council meeting had discussed existing mechanisms, tighter coordination among ministries, agencies and security forces, and measures to ensure the country was prepared for any eventuality.
Anwar also said several countries, including the European Union, Canada and Japan, had issued advisories urging their citizens to maintain basic food supplies sufficient for between three and 10 days.
He noted that international crises, including tensions in West Asia, developments in Yemen and the Red Sea, and security threats in Europe, could have direct implications for public safety, economic stability and Malaysia's national interests. - November 4, 2026
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