KOTA KINABALU, Feb 28 — As Malaysia prepares for the 5G network technology, the government, while making sure every Malaysian has equitable access to it, must also consider its security aspects.

Parti Cinta Sabah president Datuk Seri Anifah Aman expressed concern about the 5G security issue as some 5G technology providers have alleged ties to a superpower that constantly encroaches on our waters affecting lives and livelihoods, especially for Sabahans.

Bear in mind, the telecommunications industry has evolved rapidly in recent years and with this evolution comes new challenges such as cyber-security risks, which are becoming increasingly sophisticated and interconnected with other sectors, including finance, transportation, military and other critical infrastructure, he said.

"With the increased presence of terrorism and cyber warfare, it is critical that we have a strong and secure digital infrastructure. The government must not allow the greed of some quarters to put our digital security at grave risk.

"On the issue of our ‘physical’ territory, the country’s top security priority should be on protecting our Sabah water territory from foreign aggressors,” he said in a statement yesterday.

The Malaysian government, Anifah stressed, should not tolerate any threats to the nation’s sovereignty and should take all necessary measures to safeguard the country’s borders.

"I urge all parties to be vigilant and take extra measures to keep our territorial integrity intact,” he said.

Meanwhile the former Foreign Minister also expressed deep concern with the escalating tension in Ukraine.

"I am firm, unequivocal, and unwavering in my belief that violence will only lead to more suffering for the people. Malaysia has a deep connection to the escalation in Ukraine when six years ago our MH17 was shot down while flying over the eastern Ukraine airspace and the wreckage fell on rebel-held territory of Donetsk.

"We have experienced the profound effects of the issue between Russia and Ukraine. The MH17 tragedy has caused us great grief and I believe the heightened escalation we are seeing between Russia and Ukraine might only cause more grief to a lot more people,” said Anifah.

He opined that the Malaysian government should take a firmer stance in urging all parties involved to stop their aggression and commit themselves to peace negotiations.

It is not enough to just echo the sentiment of other countries, he stressed.

"Malaysia should stand firm on our sentiment on this issue and take action to stop the aggression, because with the current geopolitical issues surrounding our Malaysian waters with trespass after trespass by big super nations to the east, we could very well be in the same shoes as Ukraine.

"At the same time, given the widespread cyber warfare and misinformation tactics deployed by Russia, I am calling all parties involved in the telecommunications and digital systems in Malaysia to enhance our infrastructure security in facing any possible cyber-attacks or misinformation campaigns. This comes as tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate, raising fears that this could trigger a wider ‘digital war’,” he said. — Borneo Post Online