PUTRAJAYA, May 7 ― Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will table issues related to digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in the present government at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow.
He said this is in line with the government’s commitment which has been agreed in principle and which will indirectly facilitate matters involving investors who are interested in investing in Malaysia.
“We have agreed in principle. At the Cabinet meeting tomorrow, I will strengthen it. There are still some reluctance or resentment among departments at times, as they want control of their servers.
“This is the 80s way of thinking. We need to explain to them, and I have also explained to Microsoft and Google. We will expand unless (it involves) specific security issues. National security is excluded while other areas must (undergo change),” he said during the Finance Ministry’s assembly here today.
Anwar, who is also finance minister, said he has met with several of the world’s largest companies.
He noted that Microsoft recently announced its investment here.
Apart from the high investment value announced, he said there were matters discussed in detail including training, collaboration with universities and research centres.
“Yesterday, I also held a meeting with Google. Although it was conducted online, they show their commitment and share the same spirit.
“Also there was (the meeting with) ACWA Power, an energy giant that is not only large in Saudi Arabia but also in the world. I have had long discussions with other ministries as it wants several assurances from me in terms of third party access and cloud computing,” he added.
In a post on Facebook yesterday, Anwar Ibrahim said he had held an online conference with the president and chief investment officer of technology giant Alphabet and Google, Ruth Porat.
The session was a follow-up to their meeting in the United States last year.
The prime minister said during the conference, Porat informed on the progress of the framework areas that Alphabet and Google can expand in Malaysia based on his previous explanation to her regarding the mission and focus of the Malaysian government.
Anwar said the discussions also touched on the importance of cooperation and support of technology and AI related to the education, health and agriculture sectors. ― Bernama
