Speakers at IRC 2026 say Malaysia must strengthen regional partnerships and develop future-ready talent to remain competitive in an increasingly digital future.
The panellists stressed that governments, businesses, and educational institutions must work more closely to address emerging technological challenges and keep the country competitive.
During Dialogue 8, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) representative Sulyna Abdullah said cooperation had become “more necessary than ever” as technologies such as AI, digital platforms, and cybersecurity transcend borders.
Sulyna said regulators have moved away from pursuing complete harmonisation and are instead focused on “regulatory interoperability,” in which countries align around common principles while retaining their own laws.
“No country is an island,” she said, urging deeper collaboration between governments and regulators.
Asean digital economy officer Hazremi Hamid echoed the view, pointing to the recent conclusion on the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), which aims to establish common standards on issues such as cross-border data flows.
Hazremi said regional cooperation will help countries of varying digital maturity learn from one another while balancing national priorities with the demands of a borderless economy.
The speakers also emphasised that Malaysia’s ability to compete will depend not only on regulation and infrastructure, but also on the strength of its workforce.
During Dialogue 10, which focused on talent development and the future workforce, they described human capital as Malaysia’s most important strategic asset.
“Capital follows talent. Innovation also follows talent. Productivity follows talent,” said Jamil Bakri, CEO of the Government-Industry TVET Coordination Body, who warned that a mismatch persists between graduates’ skills and industry requirements.
He said universities and training institutions can no longer function independently, and called for closer cooperation with employers to ensure curricula remain relevant.
The panellists also agreed that technical expertise alone will not guarantee Malaysia’s competitiveness, highlighting creativity, leadership, empathy, and critical thinking as qualities that remain beyond AI’s reach.
NeX Academy CEO Khim Tan said the country already possesses strengths in areas such as semiconductor manufacturing and digital infrastructure, but has yet to fully capitalise on opportunities higher up the AI value chain.
“The only way forward, and the only way for Malaysia to really benefit, is by moving to the higher value chain – the one that creates value and innovates,” she said.
Tan also warned that the pace of technological change is outstripping the education system’s ability to respond. She proposed a more integrated ecosystem linking policymakers, industry players, and educational institutions.
The speakers also reassured workers that AI will transform jobs rather than eliminate them. They urged Malaysians to embrace lifelong learning and develop human skills that technology cannot replicate.
In her closing remarks, deputy communications minister Teo Nie Ching said digital progress must be measured not only by innovation but also by accountability, resilience, and its impact on people.
“The discussions that followed (IRC 2026’s opening) reinforced the belief that digital progress cannot be measured by capability alone. It must also be measured by accountability, resilience, and whether technology ultimately serves people,” she said.
She said trust has emerged as “the defining challenge of the next digital era,” spanning discussions on online safety, artificial intelligence, data governance, quantum technology, and future digital services.
Teo called for deeper cooperation among governments, regulators, industry, academia, and civil society.
“The future of technology will be shaped not only by what we invent, but by the choices we make about how innovation is governed and whom it serves.
“We will also continue working to ensure that the insights and partnerships generated through IRC inform future policies, industry practices and regional cooperation,” she said. - FMT
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