KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 — The benefits of major foreign investments into the country should be reflected in programmes and initiatives implemented for the people, said Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.

He said the influx of investments also proves that Malaysia has a stable investment environment and is an attractive destination for foreign investors.

He said this also requires the participation of the people so that they benefit from initiatives introduced as a result of foreign investments, such as the MCMC-Microsoft AI Tech: Skills For 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 Tech), 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 MCMC-Microsoft AI Tech: Skills For AI-Enabled Economy 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 that Microsoft intends to invest US$2.2 billion (RM10.5 billion) over the next four years in Malaysia.

Anwar said the investment will greatly support the government’s focus on developing AI capacity in the country.

Meanwhile, Fahmi said that as a start, the MCMC-Microsoft AI Teach programme will provide AI skills training and certification to 1,600 participants from communities near the National Information Dissemination Centres (Nadi), especially vulnerable groups.

He said the programme could also help increase the employability of participants 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 also wants the public to utilise and apply AI technology ethically and not use it for criminal purposes such as image manipulation or deep fakes.

“For me, it’s important that people understand how to use AI ethically. We don’t want people to, for example, plagiarise, especially in their homework or coursework, but at the same time not to be fooled by the misuse of AI to generate, for example, deep fake content,” he said.

At the event, Fahmi also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) 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

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2024/06/20/fahmi-benefits-of-foreign-investments-should-be-reflected-through-initiatives-for-people/140639