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Government Security

Malaysian govt acts to prevent website hackers

By Pia Rufino | 17 June 2011

The Malaysian government is taking necessary cyber security measures to prevent hacking of the government’s official website, Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim, minister of Information, Communications and Culture said Wednesday.

Rais said the Ministry has coordinated with the responsible government units on the preventive actions against the plan of a foreign-based hackers group—Anonymous—to hack into the government’s portal.

The government is taking the necessary preventive action through Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit, Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and agencies responsible for security.

“The government is prepared for any eventuality of attacks. This is something we have not expected but we have faced this threat a few times before.”

‘Anonymous’ had cited alleged Internet censorship by the government and the recent blocking of 10 file-sharing sites in Malaysia as two of the reasons for wanting to launch the attack, which it codenamed ‘Operation Malaysia’.

Rais, however, reiterated that Malaysia did not impose Internet censorship and the group had misunderstood Malaysia’s intention in banning the sites.

“I think they have misunderstood the good intention as well as the reality of the day. We do not have censorship. Only when crime is committed through the cyberspace, the mechanism (censorship) comes into place,” he said.

The government will not hesitate to take action against websites which contained criminal elements, he further said.

He said the banned websites could appeal to the MCMC to lift the ban, although so far the MCMC had not received any appeal to do so.

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