DEFENCE WHITE PAPER 35. Transnational threats require transnational solutions. The threats of terrorism and extremism in Southeast Asia can be mitigated through efficient information gathering and close cooperation among ASEAN member states. Cognisant of the need to improve the mechanisms of intelligence sharing on militant activities in the region, ASEAN has launched the ASEAN Our Eyes Initiative (OEI), a strategic-level information sharing platform in order to increase cooperation among ASEAN member states to counter extremism. 36. Malaysia will continue to actively combat all forms of terrorism and extremism at the international levels. As part of a holistic anti-terror campaign, the Government has established the Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Counter-Terrorism (SEARCCT); the prominent institution places Malaysia in the leading position to tackle region-wide security issues. 37. Cyber Threats. Cyber space is the new domain for national security and geopolitics. State and non-state actors use a variety of methods to undermine the security of a nation without firing a shot. Cyber threats are likely to grow in Malaysia, in line with this global trend. CNII including banking systems, power supplies, seaports and airports, as well as health services are vulnerable to hacking and other forms of cyber crimes. There has been a significant rise in the number of cyber attacks worldwide, especially since 2006. Major attacks on critical infrastructure have already occurred in Germany, Iran, Ukraine and elsewhere. In 2015, cyber attacks on a power grid in Ukraine switched off 30 substations, leaving about 230,000 people without electricity. The cyber attacks took place during an ongoing conflict in the country at that time and were attributed to a state actor hacker group. These attacks indicate how cyber space has become another militarised domain. 38. Furthermore, the emerging and disruptive technologies such as IoT, Cloud Computing, Big Data, Deep Learning, 5G and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have exposed military operations to cyber threats. They may disrupt system functions, as well as modify and steal data. The country’s cyber governance, led by the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA), is in need of more investment, coordination, enforcement and an active response strategy across the board at the national, state, corporate and community levels. The MAF through the Cyber Defence Operation Centre (CDOC) is a strategic partner of NACSA’s National Cyber Coordination and Command Centre (NC4), and plays a vital role in the protection of CNII including response, communication and coordination in the event of a cyber crisis. CDOC monitors the cyber defence situational awareness while NC4 monitors the national cyber situational awareness encompassing the public and private sectors in Malaysia. 39. Critical infrastructure in most countries including Malaysia were developed using analogue technology and were much less susceptible to cyber attacks. However, this has changed and most CNIIs are now fully digital and internet dependent, putting them at risk of cyber attacks. In recognition of this, Malaysia has identified 10 CNII sectors to be protected and preserved at all times.1 40. Facing uncertainties in the rapidly evolving digital era, the Government is determined to take effective measures to protect the country’s CNII from cyber attacks. Malaysian defence planners are developing a coherent cyber doctrine in line with the Malaysia Cyber Security Strategy (MCSS) to enhance defence resilience and cyber security that requires among other things, putting in place the right management and operational governance mechanisms with cyber-savvy manpower and right technology. 1 The 10 CNII refers to the defence and security sectors, banking and finance, information and communication, energy, transportation, help service, government, emergency service, food and agriculture. 26