MALAYSIA faces thousands of attempted cyberattacks every month, prompting the government to strengthen the Malaysian Armed Forces' (MAF) cyber security capabilities as national security threats become increasingly complex, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the country's security landscape was no longer defined solely by conventional military threats, with cyberattacks, system intrusions and terrorist cell movements emerging as critical challenges.
"We face thousands of attempted attacks in a month. So we must strengthen our defences, and last week I met the top leadership of the Malaysian Armed Forces to discuss strengthening its cyber security unit," he said.
Anwar was responding to questions during the Anwar Meets Young National Heroes session with participants of the National Service Training Programme (PLKN 3.0) at the 515 Territorial Army Regiment Camp in Kuala Lumpur today.
To illustrate the seriousness of the threat, he cited a recent disruption to airport operations in the United States, reportedly linked to problems involving the country's telecommunications systems.
"Consider that even the United States, with all its technological sophistication, could not identify what caused it, but there was an attack on its telecommunications system which caused it to crash. We are still awaiting the final report," he said.
Anwar stressed that Malaysia's defence strategy and military asset procurement must adapt swiftly to advances in modern technology, including drone operations, without neglecting conventional defence capabilities.
He said the government had increased the Defence Ministry's allocation to its highest level in history, making it one of the largest recipients of federal funding alongside the Education and Health ministries.
The increased funding was necessary to replace ageing conventional military assets, including naval vessels, aircraft and armoured vehicles, he said.
"Aircraft are ageing and tanks are damaged, so we are spending on all these. But in procurement, the government also wants to ensure there is no repeat of past problems, such as the use of agents and excessive commissions that resulted in multimillion-ringgit ship projects being abandoned," he said.
Separately, Anwar said Malaysia must weigh its economic interests and employment opportunities when managing diplomatic relations with the United States, despite differences between the two countries on certain international issues.
He said trade relations with the world's largest economy could not be taken lightly, as decisions affecting bilateral ties could have direct consequences for Malaysians.
While Malaysia remained firm in its position on the Palestinian issue, the government must also safeguard the country's economic interests, he said.
Anwar cautioned that adopting a confrontational approach without considering the economic implications could jeopardise employment opportunities for Malaysians.
"If we oppose them, that is fine. But the ones who will lose their jobs could number thousands, even hundreds of thousands," he said.
He said differences over international issues should not prevent Malaysia from maintaining economic relations that benefited the country.
The government, he added, must pursue a pragmatic approach that upheld the country's foreign policy principles while protecting the welfare of Malaysians whose livelihoods depended on trade and investment. - November 14, 2026
