Kuala lumpur: The Artificial Intelligence (AI) legislative framework is set to be presented to the Cabinet in June next year, as announced by Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo. The framework has been formulated based on four key components: issues not requiring legislation, those that can be managed through standards or methods, elements addressable through regulations, and areas necessitating specific legislation.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Gobind emphasized the necessity for industry input to avoid laws stifling innovation while ensuring technological advancement within the country. He expressed the hope to present the framework by June, incorporating the legislative structure and the agencies needed for enforcement and regulation. This announcement was made during a question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat in response to Ahmad Fadhli Shaari's query regarding AI regulation, including mandatory watermarking requirements and algorithm audits.
Gobind further addressed a question from Roy Angau Gingkoi about ensuring the public becomes wise users of AI. The government is enhancing public literacy efforts concerning AI platform usage, ensuring users are not easily swayed by chatbot-generated information. This initiative is being executed through various awareness and education programs by CyberSecurity Malaysia to foster AI users who are cautious and capable of evaluating digital security risks maturely.
In response to Roy Angau's original question on AI's regulatory and ethical aspects, Gobind mentioned the government's review of key laws like the Evidence Act 1950 and the Contracts Act 1950 to align with technological advancements. This move aims to strengthen the existing legal framework alongside developing the AI Governance Bill, which addresses risks and ensures responsible governance across sectors.
Gobind also highlighted the establishment of an AI Act Development Committee to draft specific laws to control technology misuse, including deepfake risks and information manipulation, before the next General Election (GE). This initiative is part of the government's comprehensive approach involving legal aspects, content monitoring, and public awareness to maintain social harmony amid rapid AI adoption.
Strengthening existing laws involves implementing the Cyber Security Act 2024, the Personal Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2024, and the Online Safety Act 2024. Gobind noted that the National Cyber Security Agency (NACSA) is drafting a Cybercrime Bill to replace the Computer Crime Act 1997. In terms of monitoring, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is utilizing the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 to detect false information, harmful content, and technology misuse such as deepfakes, especially during election periods.
Responding to a supplementary question from Shaharizukirnain Abd Kadir on the sufficiency of the existing National Guidelines on AI Governance, Gobind stated that the ministry is collaborating with local universities to develop an application for verifying the authenticity of images and videos, which will form the basis for new security standards.