By Kenny Teng Khoon Hock
BANGKOK, Aug 1 (Bernama) – Malaysia is calling on ASEAN countries to address pressing challenges related to ethical artificial intelligence (AI), data governance and cybersecurity.
At a telecommunications meeting in Bangkok on Thursday, Malaysian Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching said implementing a comprehensive framework for ethical AI and standardised data governance can foster trust and transparency within ASEAN, thereby promoting sustainable and inclusive growth.
“Strengthening our cybersecurity capabilities is essential to protect digital infrastructure and ensure resilience against emerging threats,” she said in her keynote speech titled “Building a New Foundation for Southeast Asia’s Digital Economy” at the China Mobile Southeast Asia Cooperation Conference 2024.
Teo is leading a Malaysian delegation to the conference in the Thai capital, which includes Digital National Bhd (DNB) chief strategy officer Datuk Ahmad Zaki Zahid and Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) member Derek John Fernandez.
She is currently on a two-day working visit to Bangkok, where she is also scheduled to visit Southeast Asia’s largest tech and startup hub, True Digital Park, and the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission of Thailand to discuss efforts to combat scams.
Teo said unregulated AI systems risk exacerbating social inequality and privacy violations, while fragmented data regulations hamper the flow of trade and innovation.
To fully harness the benefits of the Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), she said ASEAN must address these pressing challenges to create a cohesive and vibrant digital landscape across all member states.
DEFA aims to harmonize regulations on cross-border data flows, digital payments and cybersecurity, while establishing strong ethical standards for artificial intelligence, she added.
“The ASEAN region is at a crucial moment in its digital transformation, with the potential to generate unprecedented economic growth through digital trade.”
Highlighting Malaysia’s remarkable digital transformation, Teo noted that by early 2024, 8.54 million of the targeted nine million premises have been connected to fibre broadband, internet coverage has reached 97.08 per cent of populated areas and the median mobile broadband speed has increased to 91.15 Mbps.
“Furthermore, 81.7% of populated areas are now covered by 5G networks. These achievements underscore our commitment to providing quality and inclusive telecommunications services to our citizens and accelerating our nation’s digitalization journey.”
The deputy minister said Malaysia was also committed to protecting personal data and had implemented several initiatives to address data leakage issues, including amending the Personal Data Protection Act 2010, in line with current developments in technology and global data protection legislation.
— BERNAMA
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