Malaysia is strengthening its command and control operations for the 46th and 47th ASEAN Summits with the deployment of BlackBerry’s secure communication technologies, BlackBerry AtHoc and BlackBerry SecuSUITE. The initiative aims to enhance inter-agency coordination and ensure secure voice and messaging communications during the high-level regional events.
Strengthening coordination for major diplomatic events
The ASEAN Summits are among the most complex diplomatic gatherings in the region, involving over 500 meetings and thousands of delegates from across government agencies. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the ASEAN Main Logistics Secretariat (SILA), oversees coordination of the Summits, which attract leaders and officials from ASEAN member states and partners across the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
After the successful deployment of BlackBerry’s solutions during the 46th ASEAN Summit held in May, SILA expanded its use of the technology for the upcoming 47th Summit, taking place in Kuala Lumpur from 26 to 28 October. The platform now plays a central role in securing command and control communications, both within the operations centre and for mobile personnel managing logistics across multiple venues.
With rising concerns over signal interception and the growing sophistication of malicious actors, SILA sought a reliable and encrypted platform to safeguard sensitive communications. BlackBerry’s technology offers the level of protection required for inter-agency coordination involving heads of state and senior officials.
Advanced secure communication capabilities
BlackBerry AtHoc is a critical event management system that integrates secure emergency notifications with incident response tools, allowing real-time mobile coordination across different agencies. BlackBerry SecuSUITE, a NATO-certified solution, provides military-grade secure voice and messaging capabilities designed to prevent interception and espionage targeting mobile communications.
His Excellency Raja Saifful Ridzuwan Raja Kamaruddin, Head of SILA, said, “Around 80% of our inter-agency communications are secured – and some are highly confidential and directly tied to the safety of Heads of State and officials. With BlackBerry, we found an encrypted, open communications platform that protects sensitive information while improving coordination.”
John Giamatteo, CEO of BlackBerry, added, “As ASEAN Chair in 2025, Malaysia is setting a new standard for sovereign secure communications at scale. BlackBerry is honoured to support SILA and the Government of Malaysia with advanced, military-grade solutions that safeguard people, protect sensitive conversations, and keep complex operations moving in real time.”
Expanding secure operations for the 47th Summit
During the 46th Summit, 100 liaison officers used BlackBerry AtHoc to send secure, location-based alerts and manage coordination. For the 47th Summit, the number will increase to 150, with all officers using both AtHoc and SecuSUITE on iOS and Android devices. This flexibility allows liaison officers to communicate securely with delegations and foreign teams without relying on multiple devices, maintaining end-to-end encryption for both voice and messaging.
The system also supports mobile command and control operations, enabling officials to monitor movements, respond to emergencies, and coordinate across agencies such as the Royal Malaysian Police using verified, secure information.
“Five minutes can mean 50 missed messages,” said H.E. Raja Saifful. “BlackBerry AtHoc streamlines how we communicate across agencies, while SecuSUITE encrypts voice instructions to prevent eavesdropping and leaks. For the 47th ASEAN Summit, we are expanding both solutions to deliver a safe, seamless, and highly coordinated event.”
The standards and technologies being implemented are comparable to those used by the Government of Canada’s Summits Management Office during the G7 Summits and Ministerial Meetings in 2018 and 2025. Canada relied on BlackBerry AtHoc for secure, integrated communications across multiple departments, setting a benchmark for operational resilience and inter-agency collaboration.
