Malaysia has the capability to access, manage and strategically utilise data as it moves towards becoming an artificial intelligence (AI) nation, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said data sovereignty would be a key foundation in achieving the country’s AI ambitions, supported by strong resilience to create economic value, improve productivity and strengthen Malaysia’s competitiveness.
“This means Malaysia has sufficient capability to put in place the right and accurate safeguards, including making its own decisions on the use of AI and the distribution of its benefits to the people,” he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday (June 25).
He was responding to a question from Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari (Gombak) on the government’s efforts to include state-led initiatives such as the Selangor Dark Fibre Network in ensuring data sovereignty for national security and strategic interests.
Gobind said the government has strengthened Malaysia’s digital security and governance ecosystem through several policies and legislation, including the 13th Malaysia Plan, Digital Malaysia Blueprint 2030, National Cloud Computing Policy, Malaysia Cyber Security Strategy 2025-2030, Data Sharing Act 2025 (Act 864) and Cyber Security Act 2024 (Act 854).
He said the government’s approach focuses on five key areas, namely ensuring trusted data governance and sharing, maintaining control over strategic national data, developing reliable digital infrastructure and computing capacity, strengthening digital trust and resilience through security by design, and building AI capabilities through data, talent and domestic innovation.
On Malaysia’s readiness to navigate geopolitical competition in AI development and a proposal to establish a national council involving state governments, Gobind said the government considers geopolitical factors, domestic requirements and federal-state cooperation when developing a secure national AI strategy.
He added that the government has established the Data Centre Task Force (DCTF) to coordinate the development of data centres, cloud computing infrastructure and related digital facilities, including areas involving sustainability, security and compliance standards.
“In this regard, I agree that we need to have coordination, and the National Council for the Digital Economy and Fourth Industrial Revolution (MED4IR) and the State MED4IR are currently looking into this aspect,” he said.
Gobind said discussions on incentives for local technology companies developing sovereign data centres were also being carried out through the DCTF, involving various ministries and relevant agencies.
The task force has reviewed key considerations including energy and water requirements, project approval processes, adoption of the latest technologies and incentives needed to attract data centre investments into Malaysia.
“In the discussion, we also looked at aspects that can ensure that data centres to be built in Malaysia are aligned with the latest technology, as well as the incentives to attract investments.
“We also look at the interests of the local industry, and this is very important. We want to ensure that when we build the ecosystem needed for the country to succeed in AI in the future, it takes into account the needs of the local industry,” he said.
