PUTRAJAYA (Sept 26): Malaysia’s Cyber Security Academy, set up by CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM), is expected to begin operations in the second quarter of next year, said Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.

He said the establishment of the academy, announced by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Sept 23, was in line with the Digital 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," he said in a statement Thursday.

Gobind said the academy would develop world-class TVET cyber security talents to transform 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.

He said the academy would also 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," he said.

Gobind said 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.

He said this was based on research carried out jointly by CSM, the Department of Skills Development (JPK) and the Centre for Instructor and Advanced Skill Training in 2023.

According to CSM, there are a total of 16,765 cyber security personnel in Malaysia as of July this year.

 Gobind said the academy would focus on critical areas such as incident handling and response; cyber security governance; security assurance and assessment; digital forensics and cryptography.

He said CSM, as the leader in the national cyber security capacity development, will transform the existing Cybersecurity Professional Development programme into the Cybersecurity Academy.

CSM is recognised as the Industry Lead Body in the field of Cyber Security under JPK and as the chair of the Cyber Security Technical and Technology Working Group (TTWG) under the Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBOT).

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