Liew Chin Tong urges accountants to embrace multidisciplinary skills as AI reshapes finance profession

On November 5, Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong addressed the Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) Congress 2026 in Kuala Lumpur, urging accountants and finance professionals to embrace multidisciplinary skills as artificial intelligence (AI) reshapes the finance profession. Liew highlighted that while AI could displace some less sophisticated jobs in accounting, it would likely create new roles that require a stronger emphasis on human judgement, fewer technical skills, and more value-based decision-making.

In his keynote address, Liew emphasized the importance of focusing on "the three middles" that Malaysia should prioritize in the complex era ahead. He outlined three key areas: strengthening Malaysia's position as the indispensable middle in the supply chain and technology; maintaining the geopolitical middle and staying non-aligned; and building a strong middle class.

Liew argued that in 2026, accountants and finance leaders must pay attention to geopolitics, geoeconomics, supply chain resilience, critical materials and minerals, technology and AI, and carbon emissions and climate change.

Liew urged Malaysia, ASEAN, and Australia to view themselves as middle powers in the global landscape. He stressed that a shrinking U.S. middle class would not be able to consume the world's entire manufacturing capacity, and ASEAN states would need to create a sizable middle class capable of consuming regional productive outputs.

To build and sustain this middle class, Liew called for Southeast Asian nations to move away from a race-to-the-bottom mentality, work together to establish wage floors, foster homegrown technology corporations, and increase local ownership of technology.

The Accountants Act 1967, which marks its 60th anniversary in 2027, is currently undergoing long-awaited amendments. Liew visited the Malaysian Institute of Accountants last week to discuss these changes. He expressed hope that the agenda for amending the law would move forward swiftly and encouraged discussion on the current legislation's six-decade history during the interim period.