PRESS STATEMENT
MALAYSIA CYBER SECURITY ACADEMY TO BEGIN OPERATIONS IN 2025
CyberSecurity Malaysia, an agency under the Ministry of Digital, will set up the Malaysia Cyber Security Academy, as announced by Deputy Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on September 23. This is line with the Ministry’s aspiration of creating more skilled talent in the digital sphere, especially in the area of cyber security.
The Academy will play an important role in enhancing our nation’s cyber resilience in addressing the shortage in the cyber security field, by offering technical and vocational education and training (TVET) courses.
It will also serve as a cyber security capacity building centre that will conduct expertise evaluations, streamline research and continuously develop cyber security capabilities, and strengthen the efficacy of the nation’s cyber security measures in tackling threats and intrusions. It will develop world-class TVET cyber security talents with the objective of transforming Malaysia into a global cyber security hub; promote ethical values in cyber security to instil self-discipline of individuals against cyber threats, and establish marketing strategies and accreditation programmes to forge international collaborations.
The Academy will serve as a premier TVET cyber security capacity-building centre, targeted at civil servants, industry, and academia. This academy will offer short- and middle-term certified courses, including micro-credential and nano-credential programmes. It can also customise cyber security courses for universities, polytechnics and local colleges.
Malaysia needs up to 26,430 cyber security personnel by end-2025, and that figure is expected to rise to 28,068 the following year. This is based on research carried out jointly by CSM, Department of Skills Development (Jabatan Pembangunan Kemahiran), and the Centre for Instructor and Advanced Skill Training Pusat Latihan Pengajar dan Kemahiran Lanjutan (Pusat Latihan Pengajar dan Kemahiran Lanjutan) in 2023. According to CSM, there are a total of 16,765 cyber security personnel in Malaysia as at July 2024.
The Academy will focus on critical areas such as incident handling and response; cyber security governance; security assurance and assessment; digital forensics; and cryptography.
As the leader in the national cyber security capacity development, CyberSecurity Malaysia – recognised as the Industry Lead Body in the field of Cyber Security under the Department of Skills Development (JPK) and as the chair of the Cyber Security Technical and Technology Working Group (TTWG) under the Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBOT) – will transform the existing Cybersecurity Professional Development programme into the Malaysia Cybersecurity Academy.
The Malaysia Cyber Security Academy is expected to begin operations in the second quarter of 2025.
GOBIND SINGH DEO
MINISTER OF DIGITAL
26 SEPTEMBER 2024
