Digital minister says Malaysia’s draft AI Governance Bill complete, hopes to table it by Q1 2027

GEORGE TOWN, Sept 10 — Malaysia's draft Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance Bill has been finalized and will be submitted to the Cabinet, announced Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo. The government is currently establishing the necessary infrastructure to enforce the proposed law, according to Deo. He told reporters following the launch of the Scars of War photography and art exhibition that the Bill was moving beyond the drafting and public consultation stages previously discussed this year.

Gobind emphasized the need to set up agencies and administrative structures to monitor compliance and enforce the law once it is enacted. He explained that the government must ensure parties are responsible for ensuring compliance, investigating issues, and enforcing the law if it is not adhered to. The proposed legislation will be part of a broader AI governance framework, encompassing technical standards, regulations, and laws.

Gobind differentiated between standards, which would address matters concerning technology developers and users, and regulations, which would handle issues requiring closer oversight but not necessitating specific legislation. Matters requiring specific legal provisions would be addressed through the AI Governance Bill, which must be presented in Parliament.

Additionally, Gobind introduced AI Malaysia as part of the preparations for the wider governance framework, and a standards center established last month has begun collaborating with SIRIM and other organizations.