SALUTATION

1. Yang Berhormat Puan Hannah Yeoh Tseow Suan

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories)

2. Yang Berusaha Tuan Ma Sivanesan Marimuthu

Deputy Secretary General, Ministry of Digital

3. Yang Berusaha Mr Adrian Marcellus

Chief Executive Officer, MyDIGITAL Corporation

4. Encik Rizal Shah Amat

Co-Organisers AI Malaysia Takeover 2026 (Ludic Asia & 500 Global)

Ketua-Ketua Jabatan & Agensi Kementerian,

Distinguished Guest, Members of the Media, Ladies and Gentlemen.

Salam Perpaduan, Salam Malaysia MADANI and a very good Afternoon.

1. First of all, I would like to thank the organisers for inviting me to be here with all of you today. It is especially encouraging to see AI Malaysia Takeover 2026 bring together people from across the ecosystem, and I am pleased that the Ministry of Digital is able to support this initiative.

2. Looking around this room, I see people who are excited about artificial intelligence. And when we talk about AI, it is easy to become absorbed by the technology itself — the models, the tools, what they can do and how quickly they are evolving.

3. But technology, no matter how powerful, does not transform a country on its own. Its true impact depends on how people understand it, how confidently they use it, and ultimately, what they are able to create with it. It is people who turn technological progress into economic opportunity, better services and new solutions. So, as we chart Malaysia’s AI journey, our focus must be not only on advancing the technology, but on equipping Malaysians to harness it, shape it and create value from it.

4. This is especially important if Malaysia is to compete in an increasingly AI-driven world. We cannot afford to be mere spectators or passive consumers of technologies developed elsewhere. We must build the capabilities to participate actively in the AI revolution — not only as users, but as innovators, creators and builders. 3

5. Malaysia’s vision is clear. By 2030, we aspire to be an AI Nation, where AI is embedded across government, industry and society; where data is recognised as a strategic national asset; and where intelligent systems improve the way we live and work. Above all, we want Malaysians to thrive in this new era of technology and share in the opportunities it creates.

6. To turn this vision into reality, the Government is putting the necessary building blocks in place. Through the Malaysia Digital Action Plan 2030, or MD2030, we have set out our broader digital direction, with AI at the heart of Malaysia’s transformation.

7. In parallel, we are advancing the National AI Action Plan 2026–2030. This will provide the strategic direction for Malaysia to develop and adopt AI responsibly, inclusively and at scale — strengthening the talent, infrastructure, innovation and trust needed to support our AI ambitions.

8. We have also established AI Malaysia to help drive this agenda forward. AI Malaysia will play an important role in strengthening our national AI ecosystem — bringing together government, industry, academia and the wider technology community to accelerate AI development and adoption, build Malaysian capabilities and create greater opportunities for home-grown innovation. At the same time, it will help ensure that our progress is grounded in the responsible and trusted use of AI, so that innovation advances in a way that is safe, ethical and serves the interests of our people and society. 4

9. Taken together, these initiatives are about ensuring that Malaysia is not simply a consumer of AI technologies developed elsewhere, but that we have the capabilities, talent and ecosystem to create and build with AI ourselves.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

10. As we endeavor to build an AI-ready population, however, we must look beyond simply teaching people how to use AI. The next step is to enable more Malaysians to create with it — to move from understanding and using AI to applying it in ways that solve problems and create value.

11. This is critical to our ambition of becoming an AI Nation. Malaysia cannot be content with being a nation of AI users. We must also develop our own innovators, creators and builders. Put simply, we need more AI Builders.

12. An AI Builder does not necessarily have to be an AI expert or a computer scientist. What we need are Malaysians who can identify a problem, understand how AI can be applied to address it, and turn an idea into a product, a service or a practical solution — one that can create value here in Malaysia and, potentially, across ASEAN and the world.

13. But if we want to create many more AI Builders, we must also broaden the pathways through which people can acquire these capabilities. Our schools, universities and formal qualifications will continue to play an important role. But in a field that is evolving as rapidly as AI, they cannot be the only routes to acquiring relevant 5

skills and experience.

14. We must complement these traditional pathways with more flexible and accessible ways to learn — through short courses, industry certifications, bootcamps, hackathons, peer learning and apprenticeships. And importantly, these pathways must go beyond learning in theory. They must give people opportunities to experiment, apply what they have learned and build real solutions to real problems.

15. Because in the AI economy, what you can do — and what you can build — will increasingly matter alongside the qualifications you hold. Our task, therefore, is to open up more pathways and create more opportunities for Malaysians, especially our young people, to learn by doing, to experiment, to create and ultimately, to build.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

16. This is also where the Government has an important role to play. If we want to build an AI Nation, we must make AI accessible to as many Malaysians as possible. We cannot expect everyone to enter the AI economy through a traditional classroom or a formal qualification. We must bring learning closer to the rakyat, provide more flexible ways for people to acquire new skills, and give them opportunities to progress at their own pace — from understanding AI, to using it, and ultimately, to building with it.

17. This is the thinking behind the expansion of Rakyat Digital. First launched in January 2024, Rakyat Digital is the Government’s online learning platform designed to make digital knowledge and skills more accessible to Malaysians. What began with a focus on digital literacy is now being expanded into a broader digital learning ecosystem — one that brings AI and digital learning to the masses through more accessible and flexible pathways. This expanded approach is built around three priorities: Awareness, Access and Adoption, or the 3As.

18. First, Awareness. Through the Digital Literacy Hub, we provide Malaysians with free access to foundational digital and AI learning — helping them better understand the technology, use it safely and responsibly, and take their first steps into the digital and AI economy with confidence.

19. Second, Access. Through the government-funded Global Learning Pass, we are providing further opportunities for all Malaysians to learn, upskill and develop professionally. Beginning 16 September 2026, Malaysians will be able to access more than 16,000 courses and certifications on Coursera from leading universities and industry players around the world. The programme will be offered in cohorts of 25,000 Malaysians every three months, with each participant receiving three months of complimentary access, fully funded by the Government.

20. Third, Adoption. This is about turning knowledge into action. From October 2026, Rakyat Digital will introduce the AI Builders Hub, providing Malaysians with a hybrid pathway to apply what they have learned, experiment with AI and develop practical solutions of their own. The aim is to help more Malaysians make the transition from learning about and using technology to creating with it — and ultimately, to build solutions that are Made by Malaysia.

21. In addition to these initiatives, we are introducing a special programme for young Malaysians. As announced by our Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, beginning 31 August, up to 100,000 Malaysians aged 18 to 30 will be able to receive three months of complimentary access to leading AI tools. This programme will also be made available through Rakyat Digital, with participants gaining access upon completing designated learning modules on the platform.

22. But Government programmes are only part of the answer. Building a strong AI ecosystem also requires platforms that bring people together — to exchange ideas, learn from one another, experiment with new technologies and turn ideas into action. This is why initiatives such as AI Malaysia Takeover are important, and why the Ministry of Digital is pleased to support this event.

23. I am particularly pleased that tomorrow’s AI Malaysia Takeover 2026 programme will feature the Malaysian AI Learn-a-thon, which I understand, has already attracted more than 1,000 registrations. The programme will give aspiring AI Builders a hands-on opportunity to learn how to build with AI — working with AI tools, tackling real-world challenges and turning ideas into practical solutions. This is exactly the kind of learning-by-doing that we want to encourage as we develop the next generation of AI talent in Malaysia.

24. And we should not underestimate where these opportunities can lead. Some of Malaysia’s next great digital solutions — and perhaps our next generation of digital companies — may not begin in a large corporation or a sophisticated laboratory. They may begin with a young Malaysian, a laptop, access to the right tools and a problem worth solving.

25. Our collective role, therefore, is to create an environment in which more of these ideas can emerge and succeed. Government must provide the enabling policies, infrastructure and access to learning. Industry must open doors for talent and innovation. Our educators must continue to develop new pathways for learning and skills development. And initiatives such as AI Malaysia Takeover can help bring these different parts of the ecosystem together.

26. Our success in becoming an AI Nation will not be measured by the number of platforms or programmes we launch, but by the impact they have on our people. It will be measured by what Malaysians are empowered to achieve — the skills they acquire, the solutions they build, the businesses they create, and the value they contribute to our economy, society and the country.

27. That is how Malaysia moves from being a consumer of the AI revolution to becoming an active contributor to it. And that is how we build an AI Nation that is inclusive, competitive and driven by Malaysian talent, creativity and innovation. An AI Nation that is not only powered by technology, but ultimately, powered by Malaysians.

28. With that, it gives me great pleasure to officially launch AI Malaysia Takeover 2026.

Thank you.

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