Photo: YAP CHEE HONG/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: The Digital Ministry plans to hold discussions with the Education and Higher Education Ministries to showcase Malaysia’s academic strengths and digital talent, positioning the country as a global hub for artificial intelligence (AI) education.
Digital Minister Gobind Singh said it is time for Malaysia to showcase its strength as an AI education hub through a joint initiative.
“It is time for us to discuss with the Education Ministry and Higher Education Ministry the possibility of organising an event to highlight our strength in the academic sphere. This can be done in a joint programme with our global partners.
“We must show that Malaysia is not only equipped with digital infrastructure but also has the talent and academic prowess.
“This would enhance Malaysia as the education hub within the academic sector and I believe similar views are shared by my counterparts from the Education and Higher Education Ministries,” he said at a press conference here on Saturday (Sept 20).
Earlier, Gobind launched the largest on-site AI hackathon organised by Asia Pacific University (APU) in collaboration with Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and Amazon Web Services (AWS).
The Great Malaysia AI Hackathon 2025, held at APU’s campus in Technology Park Malaysia, Bukit Jalil, saw 1,741 participants comprising 1,547 university students and 194 industry professionals.
The event also secured its place in the Asean Records as one of the largest AWS-powered university hackathons in the Asia Pacific region, featuring a RM110,000 prize pool.
The Asean Records is a platform that recognises outstanding achievements and unique feats by individuals and organisations across South-East Asia.
Gobind said the hackathon was more than a competition as it demonstrated the very pillars of the nation’s digital policy.
“While we build infrastructure and encourage AI innovation, we must also establish robust frameworks like the proposed Data Commission to safeguard our citizens’ data and ensure digital trust.
“Events like the Great Malaysia AI Hackathon bring together the brightest minds under secure and ethical guidelines. That is how Malaysia secures its digital future,” he added.
Also present at the event were APU chief executive officer Datuk Parmjit Singh, MDEC vice-president of digital adoption Ir Wan Murdani Wan Mohamad, and head of APJ Go-to-Market at AWS Peter Murray.
