AI Governance Bill delayed to early next year

The government is now expected to table its proposed Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance Bill in the Dewan Rakyat early next year instead of this year, says digital minister Gobind Singh Deo.

Gobind said the government was still drafting the bill, which would adopt a risk-based approach to regulating AI.

He said the level of control and obligations imposed would be assessed based on the potential harm posed by an AI system, rather than by classifying risks according to industries alone.

“The bill is designed as a cross-sector framework that complements existing sectoral laws,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to Ku Abd Rahman Ku Ismail (PN-Kubang Pasu) and Amirudin Shari (PH-Gombak), who asked about the government’s position on calls to slow frontier AI development and whether Malaysia planned to introduce legislation similar to the EU’s AI Act.

Gobind said Malaysia’s National AI Action Plan 2026-2030 adopted an approach that prioritised responsible, inclusive and high-impact AI development.

He said the plan aimed to maintain momentum in the use and adoption of AI to boost economic productivity and public services.

“AI development must move in tandem with our ability to manage its risks.

“For increasingly powerful and autonomous AI systems that could have a major impact on people or critical systems, safety controls, testing, monitoring, human oversight and response mechanisms must be strengthened before their use is expanded.”