KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia's key institutions will hold a series of meetings on Tuesday as the government steps up preparations against cyber and geopolitical threats, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told parliament.

Mr. Anwar said the chief secretary of the government and the governor of the central bank will convene separate meetings with government departments and financial institutions to assess the risks. The central bank, Bank Negara Malaysia, supervises the country's banks and payment systems, placing the financial sector directly within the scope of Tuesday's review.

His remarks came in response to directives and advice issued to citizens of the European Union, Canada and Japan to stockpile food after cyberattacks hit digital infrastructure across Europe and the Western world, including its administrative systems.

“We are still monitoring other developments. They involve the tensions in the Middle East, developments in Yemen and the Red Sea, and security threats occurring in Europe. These show that crises abroad can also affect the safety of our people, our economic stability and our national interests,” he said in a speech to parliament.

The prime minister added that Malaysia's National Security Council met on Monday to discuss the mechanisms currently available, coordination between ministries, agencies and security forces, and the country's preparedness for any eventuality. The council, established under Malaysia's National Security Council Act 2016, serves as the government's central coordinating body for national security policy.

According to Mr. Anwar, that meeting also focused on increasing preparedness for various forms of threats, both domestic and foreign. He cited certain foreign intelligence bodies, including Israel's, that operate in neighboring countries, as well as Israeli enclaves in Phuket and southern Thailand.

“Our intelligence bodies see these as a potential threat to the country,” he said.

Mr. Anwar said Malaysia is among the countries considered a target because its digital and data center capabilities are among the strongest and can rival Europe's, while its stance on issues such as Palestine and Gaza is considered controversial in some countries. Malaysia has in recent years emerged as one of Southeast Asia's fastest-growing data center hubs, drawing large-scale investments from global technology companies — a profile the prime minister tied directly to the country's exposure.

He added that the National Security Council's director general will give a special closed briefing to all lawmakers within the next one to two days. Attention will turn to the outcomes of Tuesday's meetings and to the briefing for lawmakers for further detail on the government's threat assessment and preparedness plans.

— Reuters