AI regulatory framework in the works, full report due by end of June, says Gobind
KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 — A full report outlining Malaysia's proposed regulatory framework for artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to be completed by the end of June, according to Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.
The report, currently being finalised by the National Artificial Intelligence Office (NAIO), established last year under the Digital Ministry, will form the basis for how the country approaches AI regulation, whether through legislation, new rules, or the adoption of common standards.
'Discussions with industry stakeholders are ongoing and several views have already been presented. I hope that by the end of June, we will have a report from NAIO that can help chart an appropriate course for AI governance in Malaysia,' he said.
He was speaking to reporters at the launch of the Cybersecurity Professional Capability Development Programme. Also in attendance were the ministry's secretary general Fabian Bigar, CyberSecurity Malaysia chief executive officer Datuk Dr Amirudin Abdul Wahab and EC-Council president Sanjay Bavisi.
Gobind said the government's approach to AI would prioritise strong governance and public trust in digital technologies.
'Amid this digital transformation, risks will inevitably arise. We must carefully consider how best to ensure public trust in digital platforms,' he said.
He added that any regulatory model must take into account the specific risks and characteristics of each sector affected by AI, given the technology's wide-ranging impact across industries. — Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
8 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Bargain hunters lift Bursa at open, shrugging off Wall Street jitters
KUALA LUMPUR, June 5 — Bursa Malaysia opened higher today on mild bargain hunting amid the mixed overnight performance on Wall Street, analysts said. At 9.05am, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) was 1.50 points firmer at 1,509.47, compared with Wednesday's close of 1,507.97. The benchmark index opened 2.73 points higher at 1,510.70. The broader market saw a slight lead from positive gainers, with 106 leading decliners at 100, while 222 counters were unchanged, 1,928 untraded, and 20 suspended. Turnover stood at 82.87 million units, valued at RM52.36 million. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd equity research vice-president Thong Pak Leng said the mixed Wall Street was due to the United States' (US) private sector hiring data, which hit its lowest level in two years, on concerns over prevailing uncertainty, weighing on the US economy. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index (HSI) maintained its uptrend to a near two-month high, as traders remained confident that a negotiation between China and the US would take place anytime soon. Back home, Thong said the FBM KLCI on Wednesday finally reversed its recent downtrend to close in positive territory, attributed to last-minute bargain hunting. Overall, he noted that trading activities remained muted, as indicated by the low daily volume of 2.4 billion shares. 'We noticed there has been a spate of downgrades on the FBM KLCI target this year, given the prevailing trade uncertainty. 'Nonetheless, we envisage bargain-hunting activities to prevail, hence, expect the index to trend within the 1,505-1,515 range today,' Thong told Bernama. Among the heavyweights, Press Metal Aluminium added 10 sen to RM5.00, MR DIY rose 3.0 sen to RM1.58, YTL Power International increased 5.0 sen to RM3.34, Nestle bagged 64 sen to RM79.00, and Sime Darby ticked up 1.0 sen to RM1.71. Among active stocks, ACE Market debutant Signatute Alliance Group climbed 6.0 sen to 68 sen, NexG added half-a-sen to 38.5 sen, Borneo Oil slid half-a-sen to half-a-sen, OCR was flat at 3.5 sen, and Country Heights gained 1.0 sen to 26.5 sen. On the index board, the FBM Emas Index strengthened 8.48 points to 11,291.56, the FBMT 100 Index garnered 7.75 points to 11,060.69, but the FBM ACE Index decreased 0.89 of-a-point to 4,478.76. The FBM Emas Shariah Index edged up 8.18 points to 11,249.83, but the FBM 70 Index gave up 1.46 points to 16,167.53. Sector-wise, the Financial Services Index trimmed 3.57 points to 17,754.28, but the Industrial Products and Services Index was up 0.17 of-a-point to 150.27, the Plantation Index grew 5.52 points to 7,209.19, and the Energy Index recovered 0.81 points to 703.27. — Bernama
Malay Mail
34 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
MACC says freeze of Daim's widow's assets stops disposal during probe
KUALA LUMPUR, June 5 — The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said it froze seven properties and one bank account belonging to the late Tun Daim Zainuddin's widow, Toh Puan Na'imah Abdul Khalid, to prevent the assets from being disposed of while investigations are ongoing. MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said the move was part of the commission's preliminary actions to facilitate further investigation. 'In this case, we have submitted a court application for a prohibition order to freeze the overseas assets. If such an order is not obtained, there is a high possibility that the assets, believed not to have been declared, may be disposed of,' he said in a statement today. Media reports yesterday stated that three luxury homes in London are among the seven properties and one bank account said to belong to Na'imah and her family, involving a total value of £132 million (RM758.2 million), which were frozen by the MACC. MACC investigations found that the movable and immovable assets were linked to alleged offences under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUAA) 2001. The MACC's application, represented by deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, to freeze the assets was granted by High Court Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid in an ex parte proceeding yesterday. Meanwhile, former MACC Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad said the legally accurate term in this case is a prohibitory order, not a freezing order. He explained that 'freezing' typically refers to action under Section 44 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA), which usually involves bank accounts and specific financial instruments. In contrast, this case involves a prohibitory order under Section 53 of AMLA, which pertains to restrictions on transactions involving overseas assets suspected of being linked to unlawful activities. 'However, the issuance of a prohibitory order does not imply or presume that the assets in question were obtained through corruption or illegal means,' he added. 'The purpose of this order is simply to block any transactions involving the specified assets while MACC investigations are ongoing. It is a temporary measure to maintain the status quo and prevent disposal of the assets during the investigation,' he said in a statement. Dzulkifli, who is also a lawyer, noted that the High Court's prohibitory order was issued through an ex parte application, meaning it was made without prior notice or the presence of the affected parties. At that stage, he added, the individuals subject to the order have not yet been given the opportunity to respond or challenge the application in court. — Bernama
Free Malaysia Today
39 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Asean urged to balance AI innovation with human values
Malaysia is exploring how AI can be used in weapons systems, cybersecurity, data analysis and other areas as other countries in Asean also press ahead. (Envato Elements pic) PETALING JAYA : As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly advances, institutions from government agencies to small and medium enterprises have long since recognised the need to integrate the technology into their operations. Malaysia's defence ministry is exploring how AI can be used in areas like weapons systems, cybersecurity, and data analysis, with other countries across Asean also pressing ahead. Indonesia is partnering with Turkey to develop AI-powered drones, while Vietnam's defence tech arm, Viettel, is integrating AI into radar and electronic warfare systems. As Asean chair this year, Malaysia has also led digitalisation efforts among small and medium enterprises, allocating RM100 million in grants and RM900 million in loans to promote automation and AI adoption to boost productivity. However, diplomats and analysts have raised concerns over the over-reliance on AI technology and called for a more balanced and human-centred approach surrounding its governance. At the 2025 Fortune Asean-GCC Economic Forum, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia should not abandon human values when adopting AI, and called for legislation to protect digital sovereignty. Human-centric approach Rafael Daerr. European Union ambassador to Malaysia Rafael Daerr told FMT that both Asean and the EU shared the same view: that AI must remain people-centric. As AI will have far-reaching consequences on the future, he said that it was crucial to find the appropriate balance 'between ensuring a form of regulation or governance framework that maintains the maximum space for innovation and to make it as human-centred as possible'. Analysts have also urged caution in deploying AI in military contexts, especially amid rising tensions in the South China Sea and instability in Myanmar. Faizal Abdul Rahman. Faizal Abdul Rahman, a research fellow at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, noted that AI-powered propaganda is already shaping narratives in the South China Sea, describing it as a new front in cognitive warfare. 'AI cognitive warfare would be a tactic that claimant countries need to prepare for,' Faizal said. However, he said it remains unclear whether Asean nations are willing to accept regulatory limits that could constrain their strategic manoeuvring in the South China Sea, a highly contested body of water where China, through its 'nine-dash line', has asserted sovereignty and maritime claims over a large swathe. Faizal said negotiations over the Asean-China code of conduct, which have dragged on for over two decades, suggest that there is more pessimism than optimism in resolving the dispute. Rising AI-powered cybercrime Besides military applications, AI is also fuelling a rise in sophisticated cross-border cybercrime, particularly scams and fraud driven by generative AI, deepfakes and voice cloning. A 2023 UN report revealed that cybercriminals in East and Southeast Asia defrauded victims of up to US$37 billion through AI-powered scams. Dusit Manapan. In an interview with FMT, Dusit Manapan, an adviser to Thailand's foreign minister, said Myanmar's political instability brings risks of an increase in crimes such as commercial scams, drug trafficking and weapons trading. He said the Thai government's 'harsh measures' to hinder these criminal activities along the Myanmar border have only been partly successful, as the perpetrators always found a way to replace what they have lost. Dusit also said the nation's aerial surveillance through drones has also been hindered by advanced counter-technology. 'The people over there possess high technology to jam our drones, and I think they have the resources and ability to procure some high-tech equipment. This is a business that makes a lot of money for them,' he said. The Asean Community Vision 2045, adopted at the 46th Asean Summit last week, incorporates AI as a critical component of the region's development strategy. Malaysia will lead the establishment of the Asean AI safety network, to institutionalise regional principles of AI safety, ethics, and governance, positioning the region as a leader in responsible AI development.
