Kuala lumpur: Strong cybersecurity, sound data governance, and balanced regulation are essential to strengthening digital trust while enabling innovation as Malaysia advances its digital transformation, according to industry leaders.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, speaking at a forum titled 'Sovereign Data, Empowered Citizens - Building Trust, Privacy and Consumer Rights in Malaysia's Digital Future' today, panellists emphasized that protecting privacy, safeguarding data, and building consumer confidence must remain at the core of technological advancement.

Ericsson Head of Security Dr. Connie McIntosh highlighted that organisations are operating in an increasingly volatile technological and geopolitical environment, with cyber threats becoming more sophisticated in targeting individuals, businesses, and critical infrastructure. 'We're in a really new, volatile technological and geopolitical environment, and so threats are ever-present. Digital trust is more important than ever. What we know is that the most common threats are targeted, so they're directed against individuals, businesses, or critical infrastructure. Misinformation and disinformation are another attack vector these days, as well as general attacks on critical infrastructure to cause disruption and other types of economic losses or profit for nation-states,' she said.

The session, moderated by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) Chief National Sovereign AI Cloud Office Che Juhan Che Mat, was held in conjunction with the two-day International Regulatory Conference (IRC) 2026, organised by the MCMC.

Meanwhile, Maxis Head of Cloud Solutions (Enterprise) Chin Kok Loon underscored that digital sovereignty begins with ensuring sensitive data remains within national boundaries, so it is protected under local laws and supported by strong encryption and access controls. He stated, 'Move compute to where the data is. Only when this happens should it be within the physical boundary of our country; then only can it be governed by local laws. There are privacy laws like PDPA (Personal Data Protection Act) on how you classify sensitive or critical data. Most important is actually the access control and the encryption.'

Sea and Shopee Malaysia Head of External Affairs Nik Emir Nik Mohamed Din emphasized that consumers today expect convenience without compromising the security of their personal information, making data governance a business imperative.

For TNG Digital Chief Risk Officer Foo Yeong Jin, Malaysia's mature regulatory framework has enabled financial institutions to innovate while protecting sensitive customer data. On striking the right balance between trust and innovation, the panellists agreed that regulations should provide adequate safeguards while remaining agile enough to keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies.

McIntosh noted that regulations should instil confidence in citizens and businesses without discouraging investment, while Chin highlighted that guardrails are necessary to prevent innovation from being exploited to undermine trust. Nik Emir emphasized the need for closer collaboration between regulators, industry players, and consumers to anticipate emerging risks, adding that consumers should also be educated on protecting their own data as technology evolves.

Meanwhile, Foo stressed that transparency is fundamental to maintaining consumer trust, emphasizing that users should be clearly informed how their data is used and be given the choice to consent to its use.

The IRC 2026, launched by Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil earlier today, serves as a global platform bringing together regulators, industry leaders, and experts. The conference focuses on the digital economy and regulatory matters within the communications and multimedia sector, positioning Malaysia as a leader in global telecommunications policy and reinforcing MCMC's role in international regulatory discussions.