Low salary and lack of exposure are contributing to a shortage of cyber security talent in Malaysia, according to cyber security specialist Fong Choong Fook. He noted that while Malaysia offers good wages in the field, many workers are lured to Singapore for higher pay due to the currency exchange rate.
Fong, the executive chairman of cyber security consulting company LGMS Berhad, pointed out that the gross income of local cyber workers in Malaysia is around RM3,200, while in Singapore it is SGD3,000 (RM10,500), and this disparity is a factor contributing to the shortage of cyber security experts in Malaysia.
He suggested that the government provide incentives or tax deductions to attract more talent to the cyber security field in Malaysia, emphasizing the need for policies that support the industry and enable companies to offer more attractive wages.
Prof Dr Suhaidi Hassan, a computing network lecturer at Universiti Utara Malaysia, echoed Fong’s assessment, highlighting the lack of public awareness and exposure regarding the importance of having more cyber security experts in the country. He emphasized the need for more manpower given the increased reliance on internet facilities during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr. Suhaidi also emphasized the need for cyber security improvements at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and noted the importance of raising the quality, knowledge, and expertise in handling cyber security attacks.
He also stressed the importance of adopting AI technology for national development and empowering local researchers and the national cyber technical agency, CyberSecurity Malaysia.
In terms of legislation, Dr. Suhaidi emphasized the need for the prompt passage of the Cyber Security Bill by Parliament.
This comes after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim expressed the need for at least 25,000 cyber security workers in Malaysia by 2025, but estimated that there would only be 13,000 workers in the market by that year. – Bernama
