SALUTATION
1. Yang Berbahagia Tuan Fabian Bigar
Secretary General, Ministry of Digital
2. Yang Berusaha Tuan Ma Sivanesan Marimuthu
Deputy Secretary General, Ministry of Digital
3. Professor Joseph Cherian
Chief Executive Officer & President, Asia School of Business
4. Mr Shamsul Izhan Abdul Majid
Head, National AI Office
5. Ms Clara Koh
Head of Public Policy, Meta (Central Southeast Asia & ASEAN)
6. Mr Koo Seng Meng
Director of AI Talent Development, AI Singapore
Distinguished Guests and Respected Educators,
Members of the Media,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Salam Perpaduan, Salam Malaysia MADANI and a very good Morning.
1. This inaugural AI for Good (Educator) Conference marks a key milestone in Malaysia’s digital journey. This is our moment to empower our educators and lead a new era of AI-driven education.
2. It is also more than a conference; it is a statement of intent. I stand here on behalf of the Government of Malaysia to reaffirm our commitment that artificial intelligence (AI) will be developed and deployed in ways that are responsible, inclusive, and transformative.
3. Malaysia has charted an ambitious path. Under RMK13, we are positioning ourselves as a nation that thrives on innovation, inclusivity, and digitalisation. The Ministry of Digital, through the National AI Office (NAIO), is currently preparing the National AI Action Plan 2030, which will define Malaysia’s AI direction for the next decade. Education and talent development will be at the heart of this plan, because without an AI-literate society, we cannot achieve our vision of an AI Nation.
4. When we speak of building an AI Nation, we are not speaking only of data centres, cloud infrastructure or techhubs. These are important, but the true test of an AI Nation is whether every child, in every classroom, has the opportunity to benefit.
5. That is why today’s programme matters. By launching the Malaysia chapter of the ASEAN AI for Good (Educator) Programme, we are putting into practice our vision of “AI in Classrooms”. We are ensuring that teachers across Malaysia from public and private universities, from urban schools to those in our kampungs have access to the knowledge and the tools they need.
6. With AI, teachers can design lessons more efficiently, personalise education for every child, and nurture the creativity and problem-solving skills that the future demands. This is how we close the gap between rural and urban schools, and this is how we make digital inclusion real.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
7. The opportunity before us is immense. A study commissioned by Meta and Deloitte found that AI adoption in Malaysia could contribute up to USD 48 billion[1], which is more than RM200 billion in additional economic value for Malaysia by 2034. But economic numbers only tell part of the story. The true measure of success will be whether our people, our educators, our students, our small businesses, are able to use AI to create, to innovate, and to grow.
8. I commend Meta for their longstanding partnership with Malaysia. From their early investment in Malaysia, including the expansion of their Kuala Lumpur office in 2019, to my 4 engagement with their leadership in the United States last year, Meta has consistently demonstrated its commitment to our shared digital journey.
9. Meta's open-source LLaMA (pronounced La-Ma) model has become a global standard, empowering communities worldwide to innovate and create. Here in Malaysia, that same technology has enabled startups such as Mesolitica. They have been actively developing MaLLaM (pronounced Malam), a Bahasa Malaysia generative AI model that leverages Meta's foundational LLaMA model. This bold project is the essence of progress: daring to build and dedicating to the ongoing process of development and refinement. This is how we move our nation forward and prove that Malaysian innovators can create world-class, culturally relevant solutions that reflect our own language and identity.
10. Meta has also partnered with the Ministry, through MDEC, and with other stakeholders since 2022 to equip Malaysia’s micro and SMEs with AI-powered tools, such as WhatsApp for Business, to help them grow and reach new markets. This directly supports the Government’s agenda of ensuring that digital transformation is not limited to large corporations but extends to every entrepreneur and community in the country.
11. Our digital journey is not one we take alone; it is strengthened by the spirit of ASEAN collaboration. This is best exemplified by our partners at AI Singapore. Their commitment to ensuring a shared digital future led to a powerful collaboration with Meta, resulting in the ASEAN Educator AI Upskilling Programme. While this programme has already benefited Malaysian educators who participated in its initial regional phase, today marks its crucial expansion. In partnership with the National AI Office, we are now bringing this initiative directly to our shores, creating a powerful platform for our educators to engage in a shared learning journey and lead our nation's digital future.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
12. What makes today especially meaningful is the diversity of participation. We have here more than 200 educators from both public and private universities, and from schools in urban and rural communities alike. This inclusivity reflects the Ministry’s commitment to ensure that no teacher, and no student, is left behind. The sessions you will experience today, from seminars on generative AI to discussions on ethics and bias are not about abstract theory. They are about practical tools you can take back to your classrooms tomorrow.
13. The Ministry of Digital has always believed that education is Malaysia’s greatest equaliser. AI presents us with a powerful new tool. One that could widen divides if used carelessly, but one that can uplift if used wisely. Our responsibility as a government, as partners, and as educators is to ensure that AI is used for good.
14. Together, let us build a Malaysia that does not simply adopt AI, but shows the world how AI can be used to empower society, to strengthen trust, and to transform education. Let us begin, as we always must, with the classroom — because the classroom is where the future is built.
15. And let us remember this. Every great transformation in Malaysia begins in the classroom. The work you do as educators, the inspiration you give our young people, the skills you nurture, the values you impart, will decide not only the future of our children, but the future of our nation in the digital age.
Thank You.
#END#
