KUALA LUMPUR, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that Malaysia will forge partnerships with industry leaders and enhance cooperation among stakeholders to position itself as a leading artificial intelligence (AI)-driven nation in ASEAN. He emphasised that digitalisation in ASEAN is one of Malaysia's priorities as the country prepares to assume the chair of the economic group. 'The issue of digitalisation and networks is not only for Malaysia but for the entire region… we should be able to listen and engage with the Google team to explore ways we can expedite and accelerate this (digitalisation) process,' he said during his official remarks at Google's groundbreaking ceremony for its US$2 billion data centre and cloud region in Malaysia, here today. From a regional perspective, Anwar stated that as Malaysia takes on the ASEAN chairmanship next year, it will position itself as a champion for forward-looking and transformative digital policies. This approach aims to foster a regulatory enviro nment that encourages technological advancement and nurtures cross-border collaboration. 'I am encouraged that a global tech company like Google recognises the potential of our nation and is determined to contribute to our growth in a sincere and environmentally responsible manner. I cannot overstress this: we are not just looking to attract any data centre investment; we want partners who share our values towards a sustainable future,' he said. Source: BERNAMA News Agency