KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 — The benefits of major foreign investment in the country must be reflected in programmes for the people, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
He said the influx of investment proves Malaysia has a stable investment environment and is an attractive destination for foreign investors.
He said this requires the participation of the people so they benefit from initiatives introduced as a result of foreign investment, such as the “MCMC-Microsoft AI Teach: Skills for an AI-Enabled Economy” programme.
“If we only talk about the large investment values (into the country) without reflecting on the benefits and advantages of this investment for the people, then the story (of the investment) is incomplete.
“With programmes like this (MCMC-Microsoft AI Teach), we can translate major announcements and (foreign) investment figures into tangible benefits for the people,” he said in his speech at the launch of the programme here today.
MCMC-Microsoft AI Teach is a capacity-building programme in artificial intelligence (AI) resulting from a collaboration between the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and Microsoft Malaysia.
On May 2, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced Microsoft would invest US$2.2 billion (RM10.5 billion) in Malaysia over the next four years.
Anwar said the investment will greatly support the government’s focus on developing AI capacity in the country.
Meanwhile, Fahmi said, as a start, the MCMC-Microsoft AI Teach programme will provide skills training and certification to 1,600 participants from communities around National Information Dissemination Centres (NADIs), especially vulnerable groups.
He said the programme can increase participants’ employability through the MyFutureJobs job matching initiative under the Social Security Organisation.
“After this, participation will be expanded in all areas with NADI as the location for them to join the provided classes and modules … we want rural and suburban communities to also benefit,” he said.
Besides providing good internet facilities, Fahmi said, the government wants the public to utilise and apply AI technology ethically, not use it for criminal purposes such as image manipulation or deep fakes.
At the event, Fahmi witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between MCMC and Microsoft Malaysia, aimed at exploring the socio-economic benefits of AI, including efforts to prepare the future workforce with AI knowledge and digital skills, as well as the adoption of Microsoft software.
Also present were Communications Ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa and MCMC chairman Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh Din.
— Bernama
