PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA, 12 AUGUST 2024 – Axiata Group Berhad (“Axiata” or “the Group”) today signed separate Memorandums of Understanding (“MoU”) with CyberSecurity Malaysia and MDEC to jointly cooperate on cybersecurity and enhance the nation’s digital resilience.

The Axiata Cyber Fusion Centre (ACFC), unveiled in August 2022, stands as a vanguard in today's cybersecurity landscape. With a focus on real-time threat monitoring, proactive hunting, and robust protection of digital assets, ACFC ensures both digital trust and business resilience, embodying a full spectrum of protective, detective, and rapid-response capabilities.

Witnessed by YB Tuan Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital, the MoUs were signed by Vivek Sood, Group Chief Executive Officer of Axiata Group Berhad, Dato’ Ts. Dr. Haji Amirudin Abdul Wahab, Chief Executive Officer of CyberSecurity Malaysia and Ts Mahadhir Aziz, Chief Executive Officer of MDEC.

All three organisations recognise cybersecurity’s critical role as a key enabler to leverage the benefits of digitalisation in Malaysia. The three parties also agreed to promote digital transformation, innovation in cybersecurity and resource sharing to identify cyber threats and collaborate to promote the development of international norms and standards in cybersecurity.

The areas of cybersecurity collaboration aim to build a strong, secure and resilient digital tech ecosystem in advancing Malaysia’s Digital aspiration and will cover the following:

• Joint consultations and cyber risk assessments: Conducting collaborative reviews, combating malicious activities, addressing cross-border incidents, and sharing best practices in cybersecurity governance and risk management.
   
• Capacity building: Working together to heighten cyber resilience within the nation’s ecosystem by designing and delivering cyber security programs supplemented with technical tools and guidance.
   
• Threat intelligence: Strengthening links between the organisations to securely share threat intelligence and expertise in threat detection to increase the effectiveness of incident response.
   
• Commercialisation support, networking, and industry exposure: Partnering to determine commercial opportunities while nurturing cross-industry ties and facilitating knowledge exchange.
   
• Talent development and digital talent incubation: Creating a mutual platform to exchange insights and expertise vital to cyber security professional talent development programmes via workshops, training, and knowledge exchange to future-proof the local industry with the skills base and global standards necessary to support Malaysia’s digital economy.
   

The ACFC is equipped with both active defence and active offence capabilities, ensuring robust, proactive and preventative cybersecurity measures. Trusted by clients spanning six countries and diverse industries, it guarantees vigilant round-the-clock monitoring. Axiata’s dedication to this effort was recognised in August 2023 when ACFC was honoured as the CyberSecurity Project of the Year 2023 by CyberSecurity Malaysia. In August 2024, ACFC received another accolade from CyberSecurity Malaysia, winning the Cyber Security Innovation of the Year Award for HELIOS (Heuristic Engine for Leveraging Intelligence, Attribution, and Operational Security) advanced cybersecurity platform.

Aligned with the nation’s digital aspirations, Axiata is committed to accelerating the digital transformation of Malaysian private and public sector organisations with world-class technology, innovation and services. As a leading regional telecommunications and digital conglomerate, Axiata strives to be at the forefront of cybersecurity developments. Through its operating companies across ASEAN and South Asia, Axiata is well-positioned to understand and manage these business-critical events and solutions.

Commentaries

YB Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital, said, “Cyber security will continue to be the cornerstone and critical prerequisite for Malaysia’s digital economic prowess. I’m pleased that CyberSecurity Malaysia and MDEC have partnered with Axiata on several key initiatives to ensure that Malaysians, the public and private sector organisations, plus our national infrastructure continue to be secured in the cyber realm.

We believe that Public-Private partnerships like these are among the most effective strategies to combat cybercrimes and expedite responses to monitoring, detecting, and addressing cyber-attacks.”

Vivek Sood, Group Chief Executive Officer of Axiata, said, “Through the Axiata Cyber Fusion Centre, we have established focused alliances with CyberSecurity Malaysia and MDEC, reinforcing our strategic commitment to enhance cybersecurity capabilities and capacity. The MoUs signed today will bolster knowledge sharing, global threat intelligence, and digital upskilling of Malaysia’s cybersecurity workforce.

Our joint efforts in these critical areas - knowledge-sharing, threat intelligence and nurturing future-ready cybersecurity talent position us to build a robust digital tech ecosystem that safeguards and fosters Malaysia’s digital economy.”

Ts Mahadhir Aziz, Chief Executive Officer of MDEC, said “As we promote and accelerate the growth of our digital economy through the Malaysia Digital (MD) national strategic initiative and Malaysia Digital Catalytic Programmes (PeMangkinMD), MDEC remains steadfast in cultivating robust partnerships and facilitating holistic development. Our commitment resonates with our support for collaborating with the Axiata Cyber Fusion Centre as it will enable us to deliver added value to Malaysian organisations and reinforce trust in the digital ecosystem. Leveraging one of the pillars of MDEC’s Saya Digital campaign, it aims to raise awareness of fraud prevention among the Rakyat. The Saya Digital campaign is part of MDEC’s nationwide outreach program, Jelajah Saya Digital; a series of on-ground activities held at targeted community areas and centres via stakeholder engagement.”

Dato’ Ts. Dr. Haji Amirudin Abdul Wahab, Chief Executive Officer of CyberSecurity Malaysia, remarked, “The Axiata Cyber Fusion Centre supports the Government’s efforts to strengthen the nation’s cybersecurity infrastructure and capabilities. Telecommunications is obviously a key critical sector of the country and the ACFC obviously plays that. In addition to driving situational awareness, ACFC acts as a platform to catalyse public-private partnerships and collaborations to heighten cyber resilience within the nation’s ecosystem.”

From left to right: Datuk Idham Nawawi, CEO, CelcomDigi Berhad, Yang Berusaha Fabian Bigar, Secretary General, Ministry of Digital, Yang Berhormat Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital, Vivek Sood, Group CEO of Axiata, Ts. Mahadhir Aziz, CEO of MDEC, Abid Adam, Group Chief Risk & Compliance Officer of Axiata and Dato’ Ts. Dr. Haji Amirudin Abdul Wahab, CEO of CyberSecurity Malaysia.

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About Axiata

In pursuit of its vision to be The Next Generation Digital Champion, Axiata is a diversified telecommunications and digital conglomerate operating Digital Telcos, Digital Businesses and Infrastructure businesses across a footprint spanning ASEAN and South Asia.

The Group has controlling stakes in market-leading mobile and fixed operators in the region including 'XL' and 'Link Net' in Indonesia, 'Dialog' in Sri Lanka, 'Robi' in Bangladesh, 'Smart' in Cambodia while 'CelcomDigi' in Malaysia is a Key Associate Company. Axiata's regional digital business verticals comprise 'Boost' a fintech company, and 'ADA', a digital analytics and AI company. 'EDOTCO' is among the top 10 independent TowerCos globally, operating in nine countries to deliver telecommunications infrastructure services.

As a committed and long-term investor, the Group actively supports and drives young talent development; community outreach; as well as climate change initiatives. Axiata's broader goal of Advancing Asia aims to piece together the best in the region in terms of innovation, connectivity and talent to drive digital inclusion and sustainable progress across our markets. Find out more at www.axiata.com