COUNCIL OF EUROPE OFFICIAL APPLAUDS MALAYSIA’S CYBERSECURITY REFORMS

By Syed Iylia Hariz Al-Qadri Syed Izman

KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 (Bernama) -- Malaysia’s commitment and transparency in tackling cybercrime have drawn praise from the Head of the Cybercrime Division of the Council of Europe, Alexander Seger, who believes that the country is more prepared than it gives itself credit for. 

Speaking to Bernama at the Cyber Games 2025 hosted here, Seger commended Malaysia’s proactive stance in strengthening its cybersecurity framework through legal reforms, including the adoption of the Cyber Security Act and ongoing public consultations on the Cybercrime Bill.

“What I have seen in recent years is a tremendous determination by the Malaysian authorities to get their act together.

“I appreciate the openness of the authorities here. Not every government is willing to discuss draft legislation in such detail. That transparency is commendable,” he said.

Seger, who has worked in cybercrime policy for over two decades, said Malaysia has both the technical expertise and institutional capacity to engage more actively on the international stage, particularly in multilateral treaties such as the Budapest Convention.

“For years, Malaysian authorities said they were unsure if they could join the Budapest Convention because they lacked the capabilities, but I think Malaysia is in quite a good situation compared to many other countries. They have better skills and more specialised institutions than they acknowledge,” he said.

The Budapest Convention, also known as the Convention on Cybercrime, was opened for signature in 2001 and remains the only binding international treaty dedicated to addressing cybercrime.

While acknowledging the ever-evolving nature of cyber threats, Seger noted that global cooperation, legal reforms and increasing public awareness have contributed significantly to reducing their impact.

“Out of the millions of cyberattacks that happen daily, only a very small percentage are successful. That shows the system still works,” he said.

He emphasised that cybercrime is not a new phenomenon, pointing to academic and policy interest dating back several decades.

“The first master’s thesis on cybercrime in Germany was written in 1973, followed by a PhD thesis in 1977. The Council of Europe began addressing computer-related crime in the early 1980s, and by the 1990s, the focus had already shifted to electronic evidence,” he said.

Seger also lauded Malaysia’s regional leadership in cybersecurity, citing its role as host of the Cyber Games 2025.

The event brought together 120 participants from 40 countries, including the United Kingdom, Switzerland, South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Qatar, Morocco, Ukraine, Türkiye, Chile, Brazil, Armenia, Albania, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Singapore.

-- BERNAMA