Regional Round-up
Issue 1 of 2026

MALAYSIA

Legal and Regulatory Developments on Artificial Intelligence  Governance in Malaysia

Malaysia’s artificial intelligence (“AI“) governance agenda advanced significantly in the first quarter of 2026. Malaysia’s first AI Governance Bill, a broad legislative framework addressing AI risks, is expected to be presented to Cabinet in June 2026.

In a related development, on 16 March 2026, the Government announced the launch of the MY-AI Standards (or Malaysia-AI Standards), which serve as a “trust infrastructure” that will provide a practical framework for the development and implementation of AI standards in Malaysia. By adopting a “trust by design” approach, the MY-AI Standards aim to ensure that AI technologies are developed and deployed based on clear, transparent, auditable standards.

The MY-AI Standards will also complement national efforts to combat AI-enabled fraud and digital scams by embedding transparency, traceability and accountability into AI systems.