Zahid: NCSA to be sole agency dealing with cyber security threats

PUTRAJAYA: In an effort to strengthen the national cyber security management, the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) will effectively be the sole agency to deal with cyber security threats in the country.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the time has come for NCSA to coordinate with all other relevant agencies by placing all cyber security experts under a single agency.
"The NCSA which came into force on February 1 under the National Security Council (NSC) with existing legal powers including the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, Sedition Act 1948 and Defamation Act 1957.
"The decision by Cabinet on January 20, 2016 to create the NCSA under the NSC is part of the government's commitment to tackle multiple cyber security threats in a serious manner," he said in statement issued after chairing the High Level Committee meeting on the NCSA at Deputy Prime Minister's Office, here, today.
He said among the agendas discussed during the meeting included the NCSA's operations of the National Cyber Coordination and Command Centre (NC4).
"The committee also discussed NCSA's logistics and to locate NCSA's office space at the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (Smart) headquarters at Pulau Meranti, Puchong.
"While details on the posting and designation of officers and staff as well as financial allocation for NCSA operations were also discussed during the meeting," he added.
The High Level Committee meeting was also attended by Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau as well as heads of relevant agencies.