KUALA LUMPUR, 25 Mac -- Menteri Pertahanan Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin (tiga kanan) beramah mesra dengan pengamal media yang hadir pada Majlis Berbuka Menteri Pertahanan Bersama Media di sebuah hotel di Ibu Negara malam ini. Tutur hadir Timbalan Menteri Pertahanan, Adly Zahari (dua kanan), Panglima Angkatan Tentera, Jeneral Datuk Mohd Nizam Jaffar (tiga kiri) -- fotoBERNAMA (2025) HAK CIPTA TERPELIHARA
KUALA LUMPUR: Cyber attacks, the spread of disinformation and fake news are among the challenges that could affect a country’s stability, says Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
Given such challenges, the Defence Minister said the nation’s security and defence systems must be strengthened with the latest technology to ensure the country’s safety and harmony are preserved.
“Cyber attacks, especially in terms of the spread of fake news that could cause tension among different religions and races, could hamper the confidence and trust of the people towards security forces, including the armed forces.
“If such trust is tarnished, it has the potential to disrupt the harmony between the people and cause disunity.
“This situation will also hamper security forces from carrying out their duties effectively,” he said in his speech during the ministry’s buka puasa event with media practitioners on Tuesday.
Mohamed Khaled said the challenges faced by the nation require the cooperation of all parties, especially the media, in disseminating information to the masses.
“Media practitioners are not only supposed to spread information but they must ensure the news being reported is true and correct,” he said.
At the same event, Mohamed Khaled also launched the JanaVeteran initiative to help armed forces’ veterans venture into agriculture through a ginger and chilli fertigation project and veteran agri-entrepreneur programme.
He said the initiative, a collaboration between Boustead Plantations Berhad (BPlant) and the Veteran Affairs Department, opened up opportunities for the veterans to generate income in agri-entrepreneurship while also supporting efforts to strengthen the country’s food security.
“Through the ginger and chilli fertigation programme, BPlant would provide a fertigation plot covering 105ha of land for selected veterans, with 80ha set aside for ginger cultivation and 25ha for chilli cultivation.
“In the initial stage, this programme will involve 100 veterans who will manage the cultivation of ginger and chilli, with a potential income of RM3,000 per month for each participant,” he said.
Mohamed Khaled said the pilot project for the programme would begin in Kota Tinggi, Johor, involving 15 participants on a 12ha plot of land, with a target of producing 3,500 tonnes of ginger and 350 tonnes of chillies per year within three years.
He said the veteran agri-entrepreneur programme would provide retired military personnel with the opportunity to become entrepreneurs in the agriculture sector by cultivating cash crops listed in the National Food Security programme.
“As part of this effort, BPlant has identified 300ha of their land in the peninsula to cultivate cash crops,” he said.
Mohamed Khaled also officiated the pre-launch of the Perwira Super App, developed by the Perwira Niaga Malaysia (Pernama) Network in collaboration with Mastercard International, to accelerate the digital transformation of the Mindef community by integrating artificial intelligence with advanced, secure and user-friendly features.
The application offers various functions, including financial services, an e-marketplace, discounts and loyalty rewards, and an e-learning hub.
