Anwar says Asean members must maintain their data independence
MANILA: Global technology corporations must not be allowed to dictate the development and governance of artificial intelligence, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister cautioned against this, urging Asean to strengthen its technological capabilities while safeguarding data sovereignty.
“Yet as AI increasingly shapes the global economic and security landscape, its development and governance must not be dictated by the commercial interests of a handful of global technology corporations,” he said during his intervention at the plenary session of the 49th Asean Summit here yesterday.
He added that Asean must establish transparent and accountable governance frameworks for AI.
He welcomed the signing of the Digital Economy Framework Agreement, which is expected to help double Asean’s digital economy to US$2 trillion (RM8.17 trillion) by 2030, in line with the Asean Community Vision 2045.
On a separate matter, Anwar said Asean must safeguard its rich biodiversity.
He said this was crucial to protecting the region’s natural resources, adding that biodiversity conservation was also a matter of sovereignty.
Anwar said countries in the region had a collective responsibility to strengthen governance and ensure their resources were used sustainably and equitably.
“We thus have a responsibility to strengthen regional governance, ensure the sustainable and equitable use of its biodiversity resources, and safeguard them against external exploitation and misappropriation.
“Protecting Asean’s biodiversity is not merely an environmental imperative, but also a matter of regional sovereignty,” he said.
Anwar said Malaysia had put forward proposals on Science Diplomacy and a Sustainable Haze Fund to strengthen scientific cooperation, evidence-based decision-making and financial support for the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution.
The initiatives would be advanced at the agreement’s Conference of the Parties in December and through Malaysia’s chairmanship of the Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee in 2027.
On regional relations, Anwar said Asean must reaffirm the principles of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, which marks its 50th anniversary this year.
“By requiring our partners to commit to the fundamental principles of the Treaty, we ensure that our relationships grow on Asean’s terms – safeguarding our region as a platform for cooperation, not a theatre for rivalry.”
He added that Asean must continue engaging major powers constructively while preserving its unity, centrality and autonomy.
Turning to food security, Anwar called for the establishment of trusted green lanes to ensure the continued movement of essential food supplies and agricultural inputs across Asean borders during crises.
He said the region must reduce its dependence on external suppliers, particularly for fertilisers, seeds and animal feed.
“Asean must strengthen resilience across this whole chain: trading more of these inputs among ourselves, keeping essential food and agricultural inputs flowing through trusted green lanes in times of crisis.”
He also called for better coordination of regional rice reserves and stronger pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities, alongside pooled procurement and coordinated medicine stockpiles to prepare for future pandemics.
On energy security, Anwar called for the acceleration of the Asean Power Grid to facilitate cross-border sharing of renewable energy, with regional energy demand projected to quadruple by 2060.
