KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA February 24, 2026 — Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim today assured Parliament that the Malaysian government is firmly committed to balancing rapid artificial intelligence (AI) advancement with the protection of creators’ rights and intellectual property (IP).
Speaking during the Prime Minister’s Question Time session in the Dewan Rakyat, Anwar explained the measures being taken to address the growing issue of copyrighted works being used without permission amid the explosive development of AI technologies.
“Kerajaan kekal fokus dalam memastikan inovasi teknologi berkembang secara bertanggungjawab tanpa mengabaikan hak pencipta dan pemilik harta intelek,” he said.
(Translation: “The government remains focused on ensuring technological innovation develops responsibly without neglecting the rights of creators and intellectual property owners.”)
Anwar also revealed that Malaysia has, for nearly two years, restricted the entry of new data centres that are not related to AI. The move is aimed at preventing excessive strain on the national power grid and guaranteeing stable electricity supply for the rakyat.
“Hadir ke sesi Pertanyaan Perdana Menteri di Dewan Rakyat hari ini bagi menjelaskan langkah kerajaan menangani isu hak cipta dan harta intelek susulan perkembangan pesat AI,” he posted on X shortly after the session, accompanied by a video clip of his parliamentary address.
The Prime Minister’s statement underscores Putrajaya’s dual-track approach: welcoming cutting-edge technology investment while safeguarding local creators and ensuring national infrastructure resilience.
Malaysia has seen a surge in data centre proposals in recent years as global tech giants eye the country for AI-related infrastructure. However, concerns over electricity demand and IP theft have prompted tighter regulatory oversight.
No further details on specific new policies or timelines were disclosed in today’s session.
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