MDEC’s MDX Forum 2026 charts Malaysia’s next phase of AI growth beyond infrastructure

Gobind (centre) posing for a group photo after the MD Status Recognition certificate presentation to 12 Malaysia Digital companies in Petaling Jaya.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia is entering the next phase of its digital growth, with the focus shifting from attracting artificial intelligence (AI) and digital infrastructure investment to ensuring that these investments create stronger Malaysian companies, high-value jobs, home-grown innovation and wider economic opportunities across the country.

Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), an agency under the Digital Ministry, brought together around 300 representatives from global investors, technology companies, state agencies and Malaysian enterprises at MDX Forum 2026 today to examine how this next phase can be translated into tangible economic value.

Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said Malaysia’s next phase of digital development must focus on converting the country’s strong digital foundations into tangible economic value.

“Malaysia has set a clear direction towards becoming an inclusive and sustainable AI Nation by 2030. The next step is to ensure that our investments in AI and digital infrastructure translate into stronger Malaysian businesses, higher-value jobs and more home-grown innovation.

“The government can put the foundations in place, but the real economic impact will come when industry turns these foundations into commercially viable products, services and solutions.”

The direction is anchored by Malaysia Digital 2030 (MD2030), which sets Malaysia’s implementation pathway towards AI Nation 2030 and signals a broader shift from being predominantly a consumer of technology towards building, commercialising and scaling more local innovation.

The Minister’s MDX address also positioned MDEC as the link between national policy and economic opportunity, connecting businesses with commercialisation, investment, talent and markets.

In conversation: Ganesh (left) and Sosa Research founder Jason Sosa discussing “What Malaysia Builds Next”, exploring what AI-native transformation means for businesses.

MDEC chairman Ganesh Kumar Bangah said Malaysia is entering a new phase in which the focus must move beyond AI adoption towards building an AI economy capable of generating measurable and lasting value.

“Malaysia’s AI opportunity is no longer simply about adopting AI. It is about building an AI economy around it. The real question is whether AI is creating measurable value by helping businesses become more productive, enabling SMEs to scale, creating Malaysian products and services and opening higher-value opportunities for our people.

“This requires an ecosystem of companies that build AI, businesses that adopt it, talent that can work with it, investors willing to back it and markets where Malaysian solutions can grow.”

MDEC’s investment role spans the investor journey, from positioning Malaysia as a destination for digital businesses and facilitating market entry, to supporting companies as they establish, grow and expand. As a specialist investment promotion agency for Malaysia’s digital economy, MDEC also works to connect global investment with Malaysian businesses, talent and the wider Asean market.

Supporting this role is the Digital Investment Office (DIO), which provides a coordinated facilitation platform for high-impact digital investments. DIO is designed to make the investor journey while connecting investment with relevant incentives, locations and ecosystem support. Malaysia’s existing Malaysia Digital ecosystem provides an important base for this next phase.

As of the second quarter of 2026, more than 7,000 companies had been awarded Malaysia Digital (MD) Status, with over 4,400 active companies. Of the 119 companies approved in the second quarter of 2026 (2Q), 44 were primarily involved in artificial intelligence, while AI, data centre and cloud and global business services together accounted for nearly 70 per cent of new approvals.

The 119 companies approved during the quarter are projected to contribute RM133.6bil in investments and 4,922 jobs over their first five years, strengthening the pipeline of digital activities that can connect with Malaysian businesses, talent and state economies.

MD Status is also part of MDEC’s wider investment proposition. Beyond recognition, eligible companies are offered a set of incentives, rights and privileges, subject to applicable approvals and conditions, with the flexibility to operate, grow, expand or invest across Malaysia. The initiative also provides companies with access to facilitation and Malaysia’s wider digital ecosystem.

During MDX Forum today, 12 companies were recognised with MD Status, representing a diverse range of digital activities including AI, Data Centre and Cloud, Internet of Things (IoT), Fintech and Creative Media Technology.

The new MD Status recipients are located across Johor, Kedah, Melaka, Perak, Penang, Putrajaya, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, with both Malaysian and foreign-owned companies represented. The recognition further expands Malaysia’s digital ecosystem and reflects the growing diversity of digital activities taking place across the country.

MDEC chief executive officer Anuar Fariz Fadzil said the next phase of digital growth would be defined by what happens after investment lands in Malaysia. An investment is truly converted when it creates lasting value beyond the initial project by strengthening Malaysian businesses, developing skilled talent, creating new demand and opening opportunities across the states.

“Our focus is therefore not simply on attracting more investment but connecting that investment to the wider Malaysian digital ecosystem so that more businesses and communities can participate in the AI economy.

“The next chapter will not be defined simply by how much Malaysia invests in AI, but it will be defined by the value Malaysia creates with it.”

MDX Forum 2026 placed particular emphasis on the role of states in capturing this value. Rather than pursuing identical investment propositions, states were encouraged to identify where their existing economic strengths and capabilities could position them within the AI value chain.

These opportunities extend beyond data centres to areas such as cloud, cybersecurity, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, energy solutions, AI services and the application of AI across established industries. The approach reflects MDX’s focus on strengthening state-level execution of national digital priorities and building stronger connections between states, industry and investors.

The forum also highlighted AI Compute as an important enabler for Malaysia’s next phase of AI adoption, particularly by making computing capabilities, AI models and services more accessible to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), AI builders and innovators.

In his closing remarks, Anuar emphasised the importance of translating infrastructure investments into greater productivity, stronger businesses and new sources of economic growth.

MDEC will continue working with states, investors and industry across the investment journey, strengthening digital investment propositions, facilitating companies as they establish and expand, connecting global investment with Malaysian businesses and talent, and enabling more local companies to participate in the opportunities created by the AI economy.

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在八打灵再也向 12 家马来西亚数字公司颁发 MD 地位认可证书后，戈宾德（中）摆姿势合影。

八打灵再也：马来西亚正进入数字化发展的下一阶段，重点从吸引人工智能（AI）和数字基础设施投资，转向确保这些投资能够创造更强大的马来西亚企业、高价值就业岗位、本土创新以及在全国范围内带来更广泛的经济机遇。

马来西亚数字经济机构（MDEC）是数字部下属机构，今天在MDX论坛2026上召集了来自全球投资者、科技公司、国家机构和马来西亚企业的约300名代表，探讨如何将下一阶段转化为切实的经济价值。

数字部长哥宾星表示，马来西亚下一阶段的数字发展必须着重于将该国强大的数字基础转化为切实的经济价值。

“马来西亚已明确目标，力争在 2030 年前成为包容性和可持续发展的 AI 国家。下一步是确保我们对人工智能和数字基础设施的投资能够转化为更强大的马来西亚企业、更高价值的就业机会和更多本土创新。”

“政府可以奠定基础，但真正的经济影响要等到产业界将这些基础转化为具有商业可行性的产品、服务和解决方案时才会显现。”

这一方向以《马来西亚数字 2030》（MD2030）为核心，该战略为马来西亚实现“人工智能国家 2030”目标制定了实施路径，并标志着马来西亚正在从主要作为技术消费者转向构建、商业化和扩大更多本地创新。

部长在MDX上的讲话还将MDEC定位为国家政策与经济机遇之间的纽带，将企业与商业化、投资、人才和市场联系起来。

对话中：Ganesh（左）和 Sosa Research 创始人 Jason Sosa 正在讨论“马来西亚的未来发展方向”，探讨人工智能原生转型对企业意味着什么。

马来西亚数字经济发展局主席 Ganesh Kumar Bangah 表示，马来西亚正在进入一个新阶段，重点必须从人工智能的应用转向构建一个能够创造可衡量和持久价值的人工智能经济。

“马来西亚的人工智能机遇不再仅仅是采用人工智能，而是要围绕人工智能构建一个人工智能经济。真正的问题在于，人工智能是否能够通过帮助企业提高生产力、助力中小企业扩大规模、创造马来西亚本土产品和服务以及为人民开辟更高价值的机遇，从而创造可衡量的价值。”

“这需要一个由开发人工智能的公司、采用人工智能的企业、能够运用人工智能的人才、愿意支持人工智能的投资者以及马来西亚解决方案能够发展的市场组成的生态系统。”

马来西亚数字经济发展局 (MDEC) 的投资角色涵盖投资者的整个投资历程，从将马来西亚定位为数字企业投资目的地并促进市场准入，到支持企业建立、发展和扩张。作为马来西亚数字经济领域的专业投资促进机构，MDEC 还致力于将全球投资与马来西亚企业、人才以及更广泛的东盟市场联系起来。

数字投资办公室 (DIO) 为这一角色提供支持，它为高影响力数字投资提供了一个协调一致的促进平台。DIO 旨在简化投资者的流程，同时将投资与相关的激励措施、投资地点和生态系统支持联系起来。马来西亚现有的马来西亚数字生态系统为下一阶段的发展奠定了重要的基础。

截至2026年第二季度，已有超过7000家公司获得马来西亚数字企业（MD）认证，其中超过4400家为活跃企业。在2026年第二季度获批的119家公司中，44家主要从事人工智能领域，而人工智能、数据中心和云计算以及全球商业服务合计占新获批公司的近70%。

本季度获批的 119 家公司预计将在未来五年内带来 1336 亿令吉的投资和 4922 个就业岗位，从而加强能够连接马来西亚企业、人才和州经济的数字活动渠道。

MD地位也是马来西亚数字经济发展局（MDEC）更广泛投资方案的一部分。除了获得认可之外，符合条件的公司还能获得一系列激励措施、权利和特权（需满足相关审批和条件），并可在马来西亚境内灵活运营、发展、扩张或投资。该计划还为公司提供便利，并使其能够融入马来西亚更广泛的数字生态系统。

在今天的 MDX 论坛上，12 家公司被授予 MD 地位，代表了包括人工智能、数据中心和云计算、物联网 (IoT)、金融科技和创意媒体技术在内的各种数字活动。

新一批获得“MD”称号的企业遍布柔佛、吉打、马六甲、霹雳、槟城、布城、雪兰莪和吉隆坡，既有马来西亚本土企业，也有外资企业。这一认可进一步拓展了马来西亚的数字生态系统，也反映了全国各地日益多元化的数字活动。

马来西亚数字经济发展局（MDEC）首席执行官安努亚·法里兹·法兹尔表示，下一阶段的数字化增长将取决于投资落地马来西亚后的后续发展。只有当投资能够通过增强马来西亚企业实力、培养技能人才、创造新需求以及在各州开辟机遇等方式，在初始项目之外创造持久价值时，这项投资才能真正转化为实际收益。

“因此，我们的重点不仅仅是吸引更多投资，而是将这些投资与更广泛的马来西亚数字生态系统连接起来，以便更多企业和社区能够参与人工智能经济。

“马来西亚在人工智能领域的下一个篇章，不仅仅取决于马来西亚投入了多少资金，更取决于马来西亚利用人工智能创造了多少价值。”

2026年MDX论坛特别强调了各国在获取人工智能价值方面所扮演的角色。论坛鼓励各国不要追求千篇一律的投资方案，而是要明确自身现有的经济优势和能力，如何在人工智能价值链中占据有利位置。

这些机遇不仅限于数据中心，还涵盖云计算、网络安全、半导体、先进制造、能源解决方案、人工智能服务以及人工智能在现有行业的应用等领域。这一举措体现了MDX致力于加强各邦落实国家数字化优先事项，并加强各邦、产业界和投资者之间联系的战略重点。

论坛还强调，人工智能计算是马来西亚下一阶段人工智能应用的重要推动因素，特别是通过使计算能力、人工智能模型和服务更容易被中小企业、人工智能开发者和创新者所获取。

阿努尔在闭幕致辞中强调，必须将基础设施投资转化为更高的生产力、更强大的企业和新的经济增长来源。

MDEC将继续与各州、投资者和行业携手合作，贯穿投资全程，加强数字投资方案，为企业设立和扩张提供便利，将全球投资与马来西亚企业和人才联系起来，并使更多本地企业能够参与人工智能经济带来的机遇。

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