PUTRAJAYA: Outnumbered but undaunted, three determined students from Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah emerged victorious in the Astro-NACSA Coding Challenge 2024(ANCC2024), proving that strength lies in skill and spirit, not in numbers.
The three students who formed team, CyberX, captured a proud moment as they stood on stage, celebrated by Prime Minister YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim with their triumph further honoured with awards and prizes sponsored by global tech giants Blackberry-CompTIA, Cisco, and Huawei. This recognition took place at the prestigious Cyber Security Summit 2024, held today at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre.
The national competition, organised by the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) and Astro Malaysia Holdings Berhad, brought together students from public and private universities. This initiative aimed to raise awareness and address the growing threats to cyber security.
Supported by the Department of Higher Learning of Ministry of Higher Education, the ANCC2024 tasked participants to develop innovative mobile applications software to detect and ascertain cybersecurity threats.
The winning teams demonstrated creativity and technical expertise, addressing critical digital security challenges faced by Malaysia.
Of the five teams of finalists, the top three winners are:
Champion -- CyberX [Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah]
1. Logathepan Muniyappan
2. Yattish A/L Jaya Nanda Kumar
3. Shatthiya Ganes A/L Sivakumaran
Runner-up -- Captain Pentagon [Peninsula College]
1. Teow Chee Wen
2. Jack Liew Wern Bing
3. Lee Wen Keat
4. Siao Wei Qi
5. Siao Wei Qun
Third Place -- Meta Knight [Multimedia University]
1. Law Yi Yang
2. Leo Adriano Richard
3. Chan Hao Sien
4. Emmanuel Janot Jia Heng Christophe
Meanwhile, the awards for the runner-up, team Captain Pentagon, and the third place, team Meta Knight, were presented by the Minister of Digital, YB Gobind Singh Deo.
Ir. Dr. Megat Zuhairy Megat Tajudin, Chief Executive of NACSA who witnessed the prize-giving ceremony, emphasised the competition’s role in nurturing local cybersecurity talent, saying:"ANCC2024 has cultivated a culture of cybersecurity awareness and innovation among our youth.
“The winning teams have demonstrated a profound grasp of cybersecurity challenges, offering solutions crucial to safeguarding Malaysia’s digital sovereignty. Their dedication is commendable and sets a high hope on the potential of our local talents for future cybersecurity initiatives. Moreover, the success of ANCC2024 underscores Malaysia’s proactive approach in leveraging local talent to address global cybersecurity challenges. As we celebrate the winning teams, we anticipate further advancements in our cybersecurity capabilities. Congratulations to the winners, and sincere appreciation to all participants for their contributions," said Dr. Megat.
Euan Smith, Group CEO of Astro who was also on stage during the recognition, applauded the participants for their creativity and technical prowess: "Beyond technical skills, what impresses me most about these young participants is their ethical approach and sense of responsibility. They understand that cybersecurity is about protecting people and communities.”
Smith also highlighted the broader impact of the competition, drawing on recent findings: "Cybersecurity is acritical issue that affects everyone. A recent study in India revealed that accessing piracy sites carries a higher risk of malware infection than most other online activities, with young people aged 18-24 being the least aware of these dangers. Initiatives like ANCC2024 are essential in raising awareness and preparing the next generation of cybersecurity experts to defend against such emerging threats."
