In his speech on the 218th Police Day, Anwar said the incident took place “one or two days ago” and that the government had refused to comply with the demand.

“Yesterday, we discussed the cyberattack that seriously impacted MAHB. The discussion focused on how to resolve the matter, including the hackers’ demand for US$10 million.

“I didn’t wait five seconds before immediately saying no,” he said at the police training centre here.

Anwar said that the country’s security would be at risk if its leaders succumbed to ultimatums from criminals, whether domestic or foreign.

The prime minister provided no further details on the incident but emphasised the need for additional funding for the police and the central bank to strengthen their defence against cyberattacks.