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Crafting a Malaysian Position in Cyber 28
drivers and 30 niche areas for including regional transparency oversight
technological adoption that would chart mechanisms, engagements on interopera-
Malaysia’s innovation and economic way ble technologies, confidence-building
forward. By synchronising its approach to measures and partnerships with the
cyber a airs with these instruments, the private sector.
way forward would be promoting existing
national agenda that have been identified A responsible state in cyber: A responsi-
by stakeholders. ble state in cyber would include:
1) building domestic capacity to ensure the
A consistent engagement agenda with protection of systems, data, transmissions,
international partners that adopt a or people; 2) participating in international
whole-of-government approach could mechanisms that encourage responsible
achieve the goals of existing policies and state behaviour. As responsible state
safeguard Malaysia’s national interests in behaviour should be the baseline of
cyber. The objective is to amplify bilateral and multilateral engagements,
Malaysia’s soft power to bolster our Malaysia could consult conversations and
competitiveness, digital economy and statements from such fora as UN GGE and
innovation standing. Leveraging on its the UN OEWG as well as those led by
strengths, Malaysia’s foreign policy mini-lateral arrangements or the private
position should amplify soft power, shape sector. Consultations should focus on
discourse, norms and rules and guide improving domestic capabilities, building
whole-of-government engagements at the platforms to promote conversations on
international level. These goals are responsible state behaviour and crafting
attainable if Malaysia’s identity is well internal response mechanisms in
identified. For instance, Malaysian identity situations where responsible state
in cyber can be: behaviour is not practised. Malaysia has
been active in shaping a concerted
Non-aligned and neutral: Malaysia is a national position on key international
firm believer in the principles of non-align- cyber security issues, particularly the UN
ment and neutrality, traditional norms of responsible state behaviour in
geopolitical concepts that are applicable in cyber.
cyber. Technology neutrality is an
important principle whereby individuals Malaysia collaborated with Singapore to
and businesses have the freedom to decide develop a regional action plan to ensure
which technology is most appropriate and e ective and practical implementation
suitable for their needs, without being of these norms, resulting in ASEAN
influenced to use a particular type of becoming the first regional organisation to
technology. This position is consistent with adapt these norms in principle.
ASEAN's approach to technological
adoption, shared by Singapore’s A good neighbour and capacity builder:
communications and information minister. 21 stability in cyber is dependent on the
However, to move the bar higher, ability of states to be adept technically,
Malaysia should build partnerships and regulate e ectively and collaborate to
participate in fora, discussions and combat common and upcoming threats.
platforms that will support the principle of To this end, Malaysia should aim to play a
non-alignment and technology neutrality,