GEORGE TOWN, Sept 10 — Malaysia’s draft Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance Bill has been completed and will be submitted to the Cabinet, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said today.
He said the government was now setting up the structure needed to enforce the proposed law.
“We are hoping to table it this quarter or in the first quarter of next year,” he told reporters after launching the Scars of War photography and art exhibition at the Lin Xiang Xiong Art Gallery here.
The development marks the Bill’s progression beyond the drafting and public consultation stages reported earlier this year.
Gobind said the government must establish the agencies and administrative structure needed to monitor compliance and enforce the law before it takes effect.
“When we enforce a law, we must ensure there are parties that can make certain the law is complied with,” he said.
“If it is not complied with, action must be taken. That particular structure has to be set up,” he explained.
“We are looking at how to establish a structure to ensure that once the Bill is passed, there will already be parties responsible for ensuring compliance, investigating problems and enforcing the law,” he said.
Gobind said the proposed legislation would form part of a broader AI governance framework combining technical standards, regulations and laws.
“When we look at the AI governance process, it is broader than a Bill. It involves three things — standards, regulations and laws,” he said.
He said standards could address matters involving technology developers and users, while regulations would cover issues requiring closer oversight but not specific legislation.
“There are aspects that require more attention but do not reach the stage where a law is needed. In those circumstances, we look at regulations,” he said.
Gobind said regulations would allow the government to respond more quickly as AI technology evolved and new challenges emerged.
“This will be more effective because we are looking at a world where issues will arise quickly due to the nature of the technology,” he said.
He said matters requiring specific legal provisions would be addressed through the Bill, which must be tabled in Parliament.
Gobind added that AI Malaysia had been established as part of preparations for the wider governance framework, while a standards centre set up last month had begun working with SIRIM and other organisations.
