AI GOVERNANCE BILL TO INTRODUCE STATUTORY DUTY OF CARE FOR IMPLEMENTING PARTIES - WILSON

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- The Artificial Intelligence (AI) Governance Bill currently being drafted will introduce a statutory duty of care those developing and implementing AI systems, in order to manage risks and prevent any harm, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Digital Minister Datuk Wilson Ugak Kumbong said that the bill was being formulated according to governance principles, including accountability across the entire AI lifecycle, with the level of responsibility determined by the system’s risk.

“The bill places emphasis on clear and transparent responsibilities for all relevant parties, so that accountability can be traced through the system’s chain of ownership, operation, and control,” he said during a question-and-answer session.

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He was replying to a question from Khoo Poay Tiong (PH-Kota Melaka) on how the AI law would tackle legal issues such as legal capacity, intent and reasonable cause to ensure the system could be held accountable to users and those whose fundamental rights are affected.

Wilson said that legal capacity, intent and reasonable cause were among the key focus areas of the bill, with in-depth research being undertaken, taking into account international standards and consultations with stakeholders.

According to him, any negative impacts of AI would be addressed under existing laws, depending on the context, while the proposed AI Governance Act would strengthen governance of AI systems.

He said that the act would also emphasise protecting human rights and individuals as key foundations of accountability, ensuring that digital development aligns with justice, security, human dignity and the principles of the rule of law.

Meanwhile, Wilson said that the National AI Office (NAIO) under the Digital Ministry had established seven working groups since January 2025, bringing together 170 experts from various sectors as a collaborative platform to ensure inclusive and ethical AI development in the country.

He said that the groups involved representatives from the public, private and industry sectors, academia, civil society organisations (CSOs), as well as international experts and the Malaysian diaspora.

Wilson said that the involvement of various parties was important to ensure that the country’s AI strategy was not driven in a single direction, but rather developed based on comprehensive input from the ecosystem to support the country’s economic growth.

He said this in response to Khoo’s supplementary question on the list of working group members, including legal and human rights experts, as well as concerns over AI misuse and accountability in cases of wrongdoing.

--BERNAMA