Cooperation needed to combat cybercrime threats: Malaysian official

Stronger and more coordinated cooperation among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is needed to counter the rising threats of cybercrime, which have emerged as a serious and pressing challenge, Home Affairs Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said here on Tuesday.

In his opening remarks at the 25th ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime and related meetings, Saifuddin Nasution cautioned that the increasingly complex nature of cybercrime and the rapid adoption of technology by criminal networks require a proactive and timely response.

"The rising threat of cybercrime, everything from financial scams to ransomware attacks, clearly shows us that this isn't just a future problem; it's a pressing issue right now," he said.

"Our digital defenses must evolve as fast as technology does. This means we must adopt new technologies, including using artificial intelligence responsibly, to significantly improve how we detect, prevent, and enforce against these crimes," he said.

Saifuddin Nasution emphasized that in today's increasingly fragmented global environment, international cooperation remains the cornerstone of regional stability.

He said such cooperation is not only vital in addressing shared security threats but also in preserving economic resilience and maintaining public trust in institutions, adding that ASEAN must ensure its commitment to consensus is matched by a readiness to act decisively in the face of evolving challenges.