Malaysia digital minister urges private sector collaboration for AI and cybersecurity goals

Malaysia's Digital Minister, Gobind Singh Deo, is emphasizing the role of the private sector and international cooperation in advancing the nation's digital and AI ambitions.

At the Pikom Digital Excellence Awards 2026, the Minister urged the National Tech Association of Malaysia (Pikom) to act as a driver for policy execution. He noted that while government policies set the trajectory, the private sector dictates the velocity of digital progress. He called for the co-design of regulatory environments to allow for the safe testing and scaling of artificial intelligence models and sovereign algorithms, as well as the creation of industry-led training pipelines to prepare the workforce.

Additionally, the CyberDSA 2026 conference is scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur from October 5-7, 2026. The event will convene global leaders in cybersecurity, defense, and technology to address challenges regarding AI governance, digital trust, and the protection of national critical infrastructure. Key participants include representatives from the UAE Cybersecurity Council, the International Telecommunications Union, and various regional government and military organizations.