Ahmad Zahid (right) chairing the High Level Committee meeting at the Perdana Putra Building. At second right is Shahidan Kassim. — Bernama photo
PUTRAJAYA: The government has decided that the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) be the sole agency to coordinate all the agencies managing cyber security threats by placing the cyber security experts under one master agency.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also Home Minister, said the decision was made at a high-level committee meeting chaired by him at Perdana Putra Building, here, yesterday.
He said the NCSA became effective on Feb 1, this year under the National Security Council, Prime Minister’s Department by applying the existing laws including the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, Defamation Act 1957 and Sedition Act 1948.
“The Cabinet’s decision made on Jan 20, last year to set up the NCSA under the aegis of MKN was a serious commitment by the government in tackling cyber security threat that comes in various forms in cyberspace and the Internet,” he said in a statement, here, yesterday.
Ahmad Zahid said to strengthen the country’s cyber security management strategies, yesterday’s meeting also specifically discussed the proposal paper from MKN, namely Implementation of the Cabinet Decisions on the NCSA, including operating the National Cyber Control and
Coordination Centre used by the agency.
The paper also touched on the location of the NCSA office and logistics at the SMART headquarters in Pulau Meranti, Puchong and the appointment warrants for its officers and staff, as well as details of the financial allocation for the NCSA’s operations, he said.
The two-hour meeting was also attended by Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Madius Tangau, MKN director-general Tan Sri Zulkifeli Mohd Zin and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Shahidan Kassim. — Bernama