KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia must ensure its growing digital infrastructure translates into home-grown technology, intellectual property and high-value jobs if it is to become Asean's digital and artificial intelligence (AI) hub, says Gobind Singh Deo.
The Digital Minister said the country's success should not be measured merely by the number of data centres built, warning that Malaysia risked becoming a place where technology was hosted rather than created.
"The true measure of success is not how many data centres we build, but the value we create around them," he said in his speech at the CloudTech & DataCentre Conference 2026 on Thursday (Aug 13).
Gobind said Malaysia possessed the fundamentals to emerge as Asean's digital and AI hub, including its strategic location, strong connectivity, growing digital ecosystem and rising investor confidence.
However, he emphasised that achieving this ambition requires progress across three core pillars; namely policy, trust and infrastructure.
On policy, Gobind said businesses and investors needed regulatory certainty while Malaysians must be confident that technology would be used responsibly.
He noted that institutionalising the National AI Office into AI Malaysia Berhad will provide a permanent anchor for national AI governance.
AI Malaysia is tasked with implementing the Malaysia AI Action Plan 2026–2030 and coordinating the national approach to responsible AI.
Gobind added that the entity would also help drive the development of the proposed AI Governance Bill, which is currently being drafted.
"The Bill is an important part of building a clear and future-ready framework, one that protects public interest without holding back innovation," he said.
He explained that the National AI Code of Ethics and recently launched MY-AI Standards would provide clearer guidance to businesses and developers on designing, deploying and governing AI responsibly.
On digital trust, Gobind said personal data protection, cybersecurity and credible digital institutions would become increasingly critical as AI becomes embedded in daily life.
"Trust cannot be added after technology has already been deployed. It must be built into the system from the beginning," he said.
Under the Malaysia Digital Action Plan 2030 (MD2030), the government is also paving the way to establish a National Data Commission and a National Digital Trust Strategy.
Gobind said Malaysia must simultaneously address gaps in AI adoption among small and medium enterprises, as well as shortages of AI professionals, cloud engineers and cybersecurity experts.
He urged industry players to invest beyond physical infrastructure by supporting local talent, research and innovation.
"Our ambition is not for Malaysia to simply consume technology developed elsewhere. We want Malaysia to create technology, develop intellectual property, produce skilled professionals and export digital solutions across Asean," he said.
MD2030, launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in June, aims to transform Malaysia into an "AI Nation" by 2030, with data treated as a strategic national asset to strengthen competitiveness.
Gobind also expressed gratitude to Star Media Group Berhad for organising the CloudTech & DataCentre Conference for the third consecutive year.
"If we get policy, trust and infrastructure right, and if we work together with clarity and purpose, I am confident that Malaysia will not merely participate in the AI revolution. We will help shape its future in Asean," he said.
