Announcements | Ministry of Digital

SPEECH

YB GOBIND SINGH DEO MINISTER OF DIGITAL

LAUNCH OF THE GLOBAL ACCESSIBILITY AWARENESS DAY &

BE MY EYES APP

23 JUNE 2026 | 2.30 PM MAB COMPLEX, BRICKFIELDS, KUALA LUMPUR 1

SALUTATION

1. Yang Amat Mulia Tengku Panglima Besar Pahang Tan Sri Dato' Seri Tengku Azlan Ibni Almarhum Sultan Abu Bakar

President & Chairman, Malaysia Association for the Blind (MAB)

2. Yang Berbahagia Datin Fauziah Mohd Ramly

Deputy President, MAB

3. Mr Rajeevan TV Gopala Krishnan Vice President, MAB

4. Yang Berbahagia Dato' George Thomas

Chief Executive Officer, MAB

5. Mr Jeevan Rajoo

Chief Executive Officer, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Malaysia

6. Mr Jayden Loo Yik Xiang C

hief Sustainability Officer, Focus Point Holdings

7. Ms Serena Yeo

2nd Vice District Governor, Lions Clubs International

Members of The Media,

Ladies and Gentlemen.

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

1. It is an honour to be here today for the launch of Be My Eyes Malaysia, organised in conjunction with the Global Accessibility Awareness Day.

2. Izinkan saya mengucapkan tahniah kepada Persatuan Bagi Orang Buta Malaysia (MAB), Be My Eyes dan semua rakan strategik yang telah menjayakan program ini.

3. Global Accessibility Awareness Day reminds us that as technology advances, inclusion must advance alongside it.

4. Transformasi digital yang sebenar bukan sekadar membina teknologi yang lebih canggih atau menarik pelaburan yang lebih besar. Yang lebih penting, kemajuan yang kita capai tersebut dapat dinikmati oleh semua, termasuk golongan orang kelainan upaya, tanpa ada sesiapa yang tercicir.

WHY ACCESSIBILITY MATTERS

5. Today, access to education, employment, healthcare, banking, transportation and government services increasingly depend on digital technology. This is why digital accessibility is now a necessity.

6. Menurut data kerajaan, jumlah OKU yang berdaftar terus meningkat. Pada tahun 2023, terdapat lebih 736,000 (tujuh ratus tiga puluh enam ribu) orang OKU berdaftar. Angka ini meningkat kepada hampir 844,000 (lapan ratus empat puluh empat ribu) orang setakat Mei 2026.

7. Daripada jumlah tersebut, lebih 69,000 (enam puluh sembilan ribu) orang adalah dalam kategori OKU penglihatan. Namun kita juga sedar bahawa angka sebenar mungkin lebih tinggi, kerana masih ramai dalam kalangan OKU yang belum tampil untuk mendaftar.

8. These numbers remind us that accessibility is not a niche issue, because it affects hundreds of thousands of Malaysians and their families.

9. The launch of the Be My Eyes application is a powerful example of how technology can create meaningful impact.

10. For a visually impaired person, the ability to identify an object, read information, navigate a new environment or access a service independently can make a profound difference. These are far more than simple conveniences; they are pathways to greater confidence, independence and opportunity.

11. Ultimately, this reminds us of what technology is truly meant to achieve. Technology is at its best when it empowers people, expands possibilities and helps individuals realise their full potential.

12. Through Be My Eyes, technology and volunteerism come together to bridge that gap. This is technology at its best.

BUILDING A DIGITAL MALAYSIA FOR EVERYONE Ladies and Gentlemen,

13. As Malaysia advances its digital agenda, we remain guided by a simple principle: A digital nation is only truly successful when everyone can participate in it.

14. Accessibility cannot be treated as an afterthought. It must be embedded into the way we design our technologies, our services and our policies.

15. This vision aligns closely with the aspirations of Malaysia MADANI, which places inclusivity, compassion and shared prosperity at the heart of nation-building.

16. At the Ministry of Digital, we believe that technology must be a powerful force for empowerment. Through the National AI Office (NAIO), we are working to ensure that artificial intelligence is developed and deployed responsibly, ethically and inclusively.

17. We are not just looking at AI as an economic driver, but as a social equalizer. Our goal is to leverage these advanced technologies to intentionally dismantle the daily challenges faced by our OKU community.

18. We see tremendous, life-changing potential for AI and digital technologies to completely redefine accessibility. Innovations such as computer vision can instantly translate the visual world into audio for the visually impaired. Furthermore, smart digital tools and AI-driven navigation can map out barrier-free routes in real-time, allowing individuals with physical disabilities to navigate our cities with confidence and total independence.

19. Melalui program AI Untuk Rakyat pula, kita mengambil langkah proaktif untuk merapatkan jurang digital ini. Lebih ramai rakyat Malaysia, termasuk komuniti OKU dan para penjaga mereka, diberikan peluang untuk memahami, menguasai dan memanfaatkan teknologi AI secara percuma.

PARTNERSHIPS THAT MAKE INCLUSION POSSIBLE

Ladies and Gentlemen,

20. This is why organisations such as the Malaysian Association for the Blind (MAB) are so important. For decades, MAB has championed the rights, aspirations and opportunities of Malaysians with visual impairments.

21. Their work has helped create greater awareness, stronger support systems and more opportunities for countless individuals. They remind us that meaningful inclusion is achieved not through policy alone, but through partnership, advocacy and community leadership.

22. The Ministry of Digital looks forward to strengthening our collaboration with MAB and other stakeholders to advance digital accessibility across Malaysia.

SEEING BEYOND BARRIERS

Tuan-tuan dan Puan-puan yang Dihormati,

23. Hari ini, saya berharap kita semua membawa pulang satu mesej yang penting.

24. Accessibility is not about seeing limitations. It is about seeing possibilities, recognising that every individual has talents, aspirations and contributions to make.

25. When we make opportunities accessible, we unlock more human potential. And when we unlock more human potential, we are building a holistic Malaysia for everyone.

26. With that, I once again congratulate the Malaysian Association for the Blind, Be My Eyes and all partners involved in today's initiative. It now gives me great pleasure to officially launch the Global Accessibility Awareness Day and the Be My Eyes mobile application.

Thank you.

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