PETALING JAYA: A geopolitical expert says Malaysia may want to limit the extent of its cooperation with Chinese companies for its 5G rollout due to security concerns.
James M Dorsey of S Rajaratnam School of International Studies said these concerns were exacerbated by recent cyberattacks in the South China Sea reportedly linked to Beijing.
He was commenting on a recent report by The Diplomat on Malaysia’s purported silence over an alleged phishing operation by a hacker said to be linked to China’s state security ministry.
The phishing incident, aimed at offshore energy companies in the Kasawari gas field off Sarawak’s waters, was first reported by California-based cybersecurity firm Proofpoint.
“One would assume the cyberattacks would spark discussion on the degree of dependency Malaysia may want to form with China, for example in infrastructure and intelligence communications,” he said.
Dorsey said he believed Malaysia’s silence on the matter was because it wanted to be “measured” in its response to its largest trading partner.
At the same time, a heavy reliance on China for the 5G rollout presents concerns for Malaysia, especially where ties with Western countries are concerned.
He said if Malaysia’s 5G infrastructure was based on Chinese technology, it could make Western powers reluctant to give Putrajaya access to security and defence technologies.
“They feel Huawei’s 5G infrastructure may give the Chinese access to all kinds of things. If China controls the 5G structure, it would limit the Malaysian ability to cooperate with other security partners, particularly the US and Europe,” he said.
“These are choices countries have to make because 5G is crucial. I think Malaysians will have to look at where the red lines are and take them into account,” he said.
The Financial Times previously reported that envoys to Malaysia from the US and EU had written to Putrajaya after it reviewed a decision to award Ericsson the tender to build the state-owned 5G network.
Huawei, the Chinese equipment maker blacklisted by Washington, had lobbied heavily for another chance at a role in building Malaysia’s 5G network. Huawei and Finland’s Nokia were beaten by Ericsson in the open tender process.
Universiti Malaya security and strategy analyst Collins Chong said Malaysia could no longer continue its “quiet diplomacy” with China.
“We have been using the same approach of backdoor and quiet diplomacy whenever our territorial integrity is challenged, or when Beijing flexes its muscles and threatens our interest in the South China Sea.
“This is the wrong approach. It sets a precedent for Beijing to further justify and increase its intimidating and coercing behaviour when gaining its objectives,” Chong told FMT.
He said Malaysia’s dependence on China, its largest trading partner, made the country more “vulnerable” to being bullied by Beijing.
Source: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2023/05/18/consider-limiting-reliance-on-china-for-5g-rollout-says-expert/