TOKYO: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is encouraging further Asean-Japan collaboration to elevate cybersecurity standards in the South-East Asian region by sharing best practices, recognising Japan’s expertise in cyberspace.
The Prime Minister said that cyber threats are increasing exponentially with the expansion of the digital landscape.
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“Together, we must prioritise the protection of our citizens from cyber exploitation related to terrorism, trafficking-in-persons, and various cyber and transnational crimes,” he said in his remarks in the first agenda of the Asean-Japan Commemorative Summit themed “Review of Asean-Japan Relations”.
He mentioned that Japan has the ability to share its knowledge and skills focusing on areas such as intellectual property protection, data privacy and threat intelligence with Asean.
Pursuant to the Asean-Japan Special Meeting of Justice Ministers last July, which was co-hosted by Malaysia and Japan, Anwar said educational initiatives should be developed and encouraged among Asean and Japan to promote understanding among the people on the values that constitute their laws and legal systems as well as international law.
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Anwar expressed that Asean-Japan relations have grown significantly over the years, marking the 50th Year of Asean-Japan Friendship and Cooperation with the establishment of the Asean-Japan Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
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The Asean-Japan Commemorative Summit serves as the culmination of commemorative activities in 2023, celebrating the 50th Year of Asean-Japan Friendship and Cooperation.
The commemorative events began with symposiums in Jakarta, Indonesia, in February and in Tokyo in March, and have continued throughout the year with numerous events and projects organised by both the private and public sectors on both sides to mark the 50th anniversary.
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These included the Asean-Japan Business Week in June, the Asean-Japan Special Meeting of Justice Ministers in July, and the Asean-Japan Tourism Ministers’ Special Dialogue in October. – Bernama
