KUALA LUMPUR – – Malaysia needs to establish a sovereign cloud system to safeguard sensitive national and personal data amid growing dependence on digital technologies in Southeast Asia, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Anwar said the proposed sovereign cloud would help protect critical information through security firewalls, particularly as global digital infrastructure becomes increasingly interconnectedas reported by Bernama.

He noted that the United States’ CLOUD Act allows American companies to access data stored in jurisdictions where they operate, describing it as a challenge for countries seeking stronger data protection.

“The Cloud Act has created some issues because President Trump has said that companies established in the United States have the right to penetrate and get all the data from countries where they invest,” he said during a question-and-answer session at the 39th Asia-Pacific Roundtable.

“Fair, it is their decision, nothing can be done. But for us to protect our interests, we must establish, for critical security and personal data, a sovereign cloud,” he added.

Anwar said the sovereign cloud would act as a protective mechanism for sensitive information, although he acknowledged that such measures have limitations in an increasingly globalised digital environment.

“That, to my mind, is the ingenious way to protect our people and our interests. At the same time, we must accept the fact that, in a globalised world, there are limits to such protection because, as a free, democratic country, we have some open access,” he said.

He also highlighted concerns over the misuse of digital platforms and social media, including issues related to political manipulation, economic fraud, personal harm and sexual exploitation.

Anwar said the government must introduce legitimate safeguards to protect Malaysians, particularly young people, from such risks.

On foreign investment, he said Malaysia remains an attractive destination for countries such as the United States, China and Germany, stressing that ASEAN centrality remains key to maintaining the country’s balanced foreign relations.

“I do not portray ourselves as a great power. We are a small country. That is why we engage very closely with our neighbours. Our strength lies not only in Malaysia’s potential, but also in ASEAN’s potential,” he said.

Anwar added that Malaysia’s strength as a middle power lies in regional cooperation and ASEAN’s collective influence.