Thai acting PM heads to peace talks in Malaysia, accuses Cambodia of bad faith
'We do not believe Cambodia is acting in good faith, based on their actions in addressing the issue,' Phumtham told reporters at Bangkok airport as cross-border clashes entered their fifth day. 'They need to demonstrate genuine intent, and we will assess that during the meeting.' — AFP
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The Star
31 minutes ago
- The Star
Regulatory gaps in AI adoption
The AI Policy Dialogue Country Report pointed out that the enforcement and institutional coordination of the Personal Data Protection Law and the One Data Initiative remain weak. — AFP JAKARTA: Indonesia's digital service governance still lacks specific regulations to guide the responsible implementation of artificial intelligence (AI), according to a joint report by the Communications and Digital Ministry and the United Kingdom. The AI Policy Dialogue Country Report, released on Monday, pointed out that the enforcement and institutional coordination of the Personal Data Protection Law and the One Data Initiative remain weak. The archipelago is also grappling with unequal digital infrastructure, with 57 million people, or nearly 20% of the population, still lacking reliable Internet access. 'Gaps in connectivity continue to create an uneven playing field for AI development,' the report stated. South-East Asia's largest digital economy is also facing a digital talent gap, with a need for nine million additional tech workers by 2030, as previously reported in the jointly published Readiness Assessment Methodology report by the government and Unesco. Furthermore, AI innovation in the country's digital ecosystem remains fragmented across government, academia and the private sector. 'The absence of clear institutional mandates and insufficient government facilitation limits collaboration and slows progress across the AI value chain, from research and development to commercialisation,' the report noted. The ministry is set to use the report as the foundation for the national AI road map, which is slated to be unveiled for public discussion in August. The formulation of the report involved various stakeholders, including industry players, academia and civil society. 'As a follow-up, the Communications and Digital Ministry will use the results of this dialogue as a foundation for concrete and forward-looking AI policy recommendations aligned with national interests,' Deputy Communications and Digital Minister Nezar Patria said during the launch. He explained that the report aimed to identify two key areas: the building blocks necessary for Indonesia to achieve meaningful AI adoption, and several use cases, challenges and the impacts of AI adoption in six key sectors. These sectors include eCommerce, banking and finance, healthcare, education and sustainability. Indonesia has seen a rapid increase in AI investment, with national spending on AI solutions almost quadrupling from 1.38 trillion rupiah in 2022 to a projected 5.36 trillion rupiah by 2027. However, the report found that while national AI spending is on the rise, it has yet to translate into balanced sectoral readiness, with AI adoption progressing at different paces across sectors. Sectors such as eCommerce and banking and finance showed more AI adoption, while others, particularly healthcare, remained in 'exploratory or pilot phases' and continue to lag behind, the report added. — The Jakarta Post/ANN
New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
India committed to 'fair, balanced' trade with US
NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday said it was committed to negotiating a "fair, balanced" trade deal with Washington, after US President Donald Trump said Indian goods would face steep tariffs and New Delhi would be penalised for purchases of Russian weapons and energy. Months of trade negotiations between India and the United States have failed to seal a deal, with sticking points including Trump's sweeping demands and New Delhi's reluctance to fully open its agricultural and dairy sectors. Two days before Trump's August 1 tariffs deadline, the US president announced that imports from India would be hit with a 25 per cent tariff. The Indian government said it had "taken note" of Trump's announcement and was "studying its implications". "India and the US have been engaged in negotiations on concluding a fair, balanced and mutually beneficial bilateral trade agreement over the last few months. We remain committed to that objective," it said in a statement, also noting that it was determined to protect the welfare of Indian farmers and entrepreneurs. "The Government will take all steps necessary to secure our national interest, as has been the case with other trade agreements including the latest Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the UK." - AFP
Free Malaysia Today
6 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Let those who don't need RM100 aid return it, says MCA
MCA president Wee Ka Siong said he would be the first to return the RM100 one-off cash aid announced this morning. PETALING JAYA : MCA has called on the government to introduce a mechanism that would allow Malaysians who do not need the RM100 one-off cash aid announced this morning to return the funds. In a Facebook post, MCA president Wee Ka Siong said the returned funds could be channelled to healthcare and education. Wee said the funds could be used to expedite elective treatments for 15,000 patients at government hospitals, some of whom face a waiting period of up to 21 months. The money could also be used to offer scholarships to straight-A Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia students as well as Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia and matriculation graduates with excellent CGPAs, he said. 'Rather than spending public money that may benefit those who don't really need it, wouldn't it be better to support those who genuinely do, while also upgrading our healthcare and education systems? 'It will be a win-win solution. The people get to choose, and the government wins too!' he said. Earlier today, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced the one-off cash aid for all Malaysians aged 18 and above, under the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah initiative. The money, which will be channelled through recipients' MyKad, is in conjunction with the National Day celebration, he said. In a special televised announcement, Anwar said the aid could be used between Aug 31 and Dec 31 to purchase basic necessities from over 4,100 outlets, including hypermarkets such as Mydin, Lotus, Econsave, and 99 Speedmart. He said the government had set aside RM2 billion for the initiative, which is expected to benefit some 22 million citizens. Wee said he believed that Anwar, his ministers and elected representatives would be willing to forgo the RM100. 'I will be the first to contribute mine,' he said. In a separate statement, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) said it welcomed the reduction in RON95 prices and the RM100 one-off grocery aid but stressed that these measures would only provide temporary relief for low-income households. PSM deputy chairman S Arutchelvan said that instead of one-off handouts, a universal basic income and a pension scheme for the elderly would have a more lasting impact. He also proposed doubling the public healthcare budget and increasing the minimum wage, while supporting small businesses with transition subsidies. 'These structural reforms would provide more sustainable benefits than one-off handouts. We urge the government to implement policies that permanently reduce the cost of living and address wealth inequality at its roots,' said Arutchelvan.
