Government To Bolster National Readiness Against Geopolitical Risks - PM Anwar

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 (Bernama) -- The government will strengthen the country's preparedness against geopolitical uncertainties and global security threats, including safeguarding the country's food, water and energy supplies from potential disruptions.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said international conflicts had shown that security threats now extended beyond conventional warfare to include cyberattacks, disinformation, sabotage of critical infrastructure and supply chain disruptions.

He said the government took these developments seriously and had convened a special National Security Council (NSC) meeting yesterday to assess the country's readiness and the effectiveness of existing mechanisms in responding to crises and hybrid threats.

“Following the discussions, the government believes existing national security and crisis management mechanisms must be further strengthened, particularly in inter-agency coordination, information sharing and clearly defined responsibilities.

“This is crucial to ensure a more coordinated response, prevent overlapping responsibilities and avoid delays in decision-making,” he said.

Anwar was delivering a statement in the Dewan Rakyat today on Malaysia’s national security preparedness amid geopolitical conflicts and regional and international security tensions.

Anwar said the government would continue to emphasise a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, as crisis preparedness requires cooperation among ministries, security agencies, the private sector and the public, rather than relying on a single agency.

He said the government would focus on five key areas, beginning with stronger coordination and information sharing among ministries and agencies, alongside regular training exercises and simulations to improve preparedness against various threats.

Other priorities include strengthening the protection of critical infrastructure and strategic sectors, particularly energy, telecommunications, transport, finance and food supplies.

The government will also enhance public preparedness through education programmes, crisis management training and basic household emergency preparedness guidelines.

The fifth priority, he said, involves strengthening the capabilities of security and crisis management agencies through specialised expertise, training, improved assets and appropriate technology, including enhancing the operational readiness of frontline agencies such as the Royal Malaysia Police and Malaysian Armed Forces.

To ensure the measures are implemented promptly and systematically, Anwar said Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar would chair a meeting with ministry secretaries-general and directors-general tomorrow, which would also address the need to ensure adequate national food supplies and uninterrupted water and energy services.

Commenting on overseas conflicts, the Prime Minister said developments in Yemen and the Red Sea region could threaten the safety of Malaysian seafarers and nationals, while disrupting trade routes, energy supplies and international logistics chains.

He said the security situation in Europe also highlighted increasingly complex threats, including cyberattacks, information manipulation, sabotage and drone incursions.

“These developments show that national security must be viewed more comprehensively and should not focus solely on physical threats. Protecting critical infrastructure, communication systems and essential services must also be among our national preparedness priorities.

“Accordingly, the government will continue reviewing the need to strengthen policies, coordination mechanisms and agency capabilities in line with the evolving security threat landscape,” he said.

Anwar said the government had also taken note of measures adopted by several countries, including those in the European Union (EU), Canada and Japan, which had advised their citizens to maintain food supplies sufficient for three to 10 days amid international uncertainty.

The Prime Minister stressed that the government remained vigilant over developments that could affect Malaysia's security and national interests, including the safety of Malaysians abroad.

“Malaysian diplomatic missions are continuously monitoring developments and liaising with local authorities to ensure the safety of our citizens in the countries concerned.

“Malaysians are also advised to stay informed of the latest developments and comply with safety instructions issued by the relevant local authorities,” he said.

Meanwhile, Anwar revealed that Malaysia could become a target of security threats based on intelligence received by the government, although not all the information could be disclosed publicly.

He said Malaysia's growing strength in the digital and data centre sectors, alongside its firm positions on international issues considered controversial by some countries, particularly in Europe and the United States, including Palestine and Gaza, were among the factors that could make the country a potential target.

“Our strength in the digital and data centre sectors is among the greatest. Based on the latest figures, for example, our capabilities could rival those in Europe.

“Secondly, we have taken firm positions on several issues regarded as controversial by certain countries, particularly in Europe and the United States, especially the issues of Palestine and Gaza,” he said.

In light of these concerns, Anwar said he was prepared to ask the National Security Council (MKN) director-general to hold a special closed-door briefing for all Members of Parliament within the next one or two days to explain the latest developments based on government intelligence.

“I believe this is extremely important because, based on information received yesterday afternoon and again this morning from the Home Minister, this is not something we should take lightly.

“I therefore seek the cooperation of all MPs, from both the government and opposition, to make time within the next day or two to hear directly from the MKN about the latest developments,” he added.

-- BERNAMA