KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 21): The government has been urged to establish an ethical framework for using artificial intelligence (AI) before expanding its adoption in daily life, to ensure technological progress does not compromise national security, sovereignty, or the interests of the people.

Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari (Pakatan Harapan-Gombak) said the rapid development of AI should be assessed not only by its potential to drive economic growth, but also by the risks of misuse, including information manipulation, mass surveillance and interference in political processes.

The Selangor menteri besar said the issue warranted serious attention as Malaysia stepped up efforts to attract investment from international technology companies and expand its AI ecosystem.

“I have repeatedly emphasised the need to establish ethical principles for the use of AI before embracing the technology more widely and rapidly in our daily lives,” he said while debating the Supply (Budget 2027) Bill at the policy stage in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday.

He said AI development must be guided by ethical principles and appropriate regulatory measures to ensure technological advances do not override human interests or national sovereignty.

Amirudin also called for regional development strategies to be reassessed and strengthened through more detailed planning tailored to each area's potential and needs, to reduce economic disparities between areas.

He said several major growth centres, especially Johor, the Klang Valley and Penang, continued to dominate the country's economic development, making it difficult to spread the benefits of growth more evenly across territories.

“We need a more structured approach to territorial development that focuses on narrowing economic disparities, rather than simply allocating funds to individual states and areas. This requires detailed planning,” he said.

He said the approach called for closer cooperation among the federal government, state governments and local authorities to identify sectors and economic activities that could spur local economic growth.

Meanwhile, Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang (Perikatan Nasional-Marang) stressed the importance of a comprehensive education system that emphasises moral values and character development alongside academic achievement to foster a responsible society that upholds human values.

“Bullying and murder cases in schools show that we have lost our sense of humanity,” he said, underscoring the importance of character development among pupils and the role of families in educating young people.

The PAS president also urged the government to chart the country’s development according to its own principles and framework, prioritising justice, integrity and the people’s well-being rather than relying too heavily on systems practised by other countries.

He said the approach was important in formulating more comprehensive national policies, particularly in economic management, education and governance.

“We are living in a world shaped by failed systems and failed rules...we need to establish our own foundations and principles to build a just, good and trustworthy nation,” he said.

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