KUALA LUMPUR: The National AI Office (NAIO) is collaborating with several disaster management agencies, including the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (PRABN), to explore the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in strengthening the country's disaster management capabilities.
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said that several engagement sessions and workshops with PRABN had been held to draft initial proposals related to the use of AI.
He explained that the initiative was part of the AI Cities by 2030 programme under the 13th Malaysia Plan.
"Each AI project had an initiative owner representing specific sectors responsible for determining the scope, outcomes, and sources of sector expertise, thus coordinating the involvement of industry and academia to develop technological solutions to the identified problems.
"Under the AI Cities initiative, NAIO worked closely with disaster management agencies to strengthen disaster management, including the use of AI and whole-of-government implementation mechanisms," he said while concluding the debate on the Supply (Budget) Bill 2026 at the committee level for the Digital Ministry in Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Nov 24).
Gobind added that NAIO also played the role of central coordinator by coordinating all ministries, agencies, and industry parties to address obstacles related to data, regulations, and resources, as well as providing regular status updates to the Council for the Digital Economy and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (MED4IR).
He mentioned that the initiative was part of the National AI Action Plan 2030, focusing on high-impact projects under Budget 2026.
"The main focus was to activate the implementation of high-impact AI projects in strategic sectors, including health, transportation, agriculture (agro-food), public services, micro, small and medium enterprises, and the smart city sector that required specialised expertise," he said.
Commenting on the challenges of digital transformation, Gobind noted that obstacles to the country's digital transformation could be overcome through the coordination and utilisation of existing data.
He emphasised that every ministry, government agency, state government, state agency, and local authority (PBT) was encouraged to connect data to achieve the pattern and shape of the AI Nation.
He remarked that the coordination included the digitisation of information and the creation of a data-sharing platform to resolve issues involving more than one ministry.
The Dewan Rakyat later passed the estimated operating and development expenditure of RM1,358.574mil for the ministry in Budget 2026, with a majority of votes in favour after being debated by seven Members of Parliament. – Bernama
