Malaysia urges ASEAN to expand defense cooperation in cyberspace

Malaysia called Friday for fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to extend their security partnerships from the high seas to cyberspace at an annual meeting of the bloc's defense ministers.

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Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin opened the meeting by warning that regional peace faces growing pressure from both traditional and emerging threats, including rising tensions in the disputed South China Sea and the spread of cyberattacks that can “disrupt societies, topple governments and undermine critical infrastructure.”

“Threats today transcend borders and dimensions,” he said. “We see the challenges in the South China Sea. But we must also recognize that our digital realm is equally at risk. The threats that test our networks and systems may be invisible, but just as dangerous as those threatening our maritime zones.