KUALA LUMPUR: Asean Digital Ministers have reaffirmed their collective commitment to advancing Southeast Asia's digital transformation, following the successful conclusion of the 6th Asean Digital Ministers’ Meeting (ADGMIN) in Hanoi yesterday.
Malaysia's Digital Minister, Gobind Singh Deo, said the meeting welcomed the adoption of the Asean Digital Masterplan 2026–2030 as a key pillar of the region's digital integration, guided by a vision of building an inclusive, trustworthy, and innovative digital community.
The masterplan will guide the updating of national digital strategies across Asean Member States, ensuring stronger regional coordination and impactful implementation.
"The Asean Digital Ministers also adopted the Declaration on the Establishment of the Asean Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety Network, as adopted by Asean heads of government at the 47th Asean Leaders’ Summit in Kuala Lumpur in 2025," Gobind said in a statement.
"This is a significant milestone that reflects Asean’s commitment to advancing AI in a safe, trusted, and responsible manner. The Asean AI Safety Network will serve as a regional platform to strengthen cooperation on capacity building, regulatory preparedness, and safeguard measures, ensuring that innovation in AI continues to advance while risks and misuse are effectively addressed."
Gobind revealed that the secretariat of the Asean AI Safety Network will be based in Kuala Lumpur, reaffirming Malaysia’s commitment to supporting Asean’s digital priorities and building trusted regional digital governance.
The meeting also welcomed the adoption of the Asean Guide for Sustainable Data Centre Development, initiated by Malaysia.
This guide reflects Asean’s commitment to ensuring that digital infrastructure growth is aligned with sustainability goals. It provides policymakers with essential tools and insights to build a data centre industry that drives economic growth while prioritising environmental sustainability. This will support the development of data centres that are efficient, resilient, and environmentally responsible, as Asean continues to strengthen the foundation of its digital economy.
In Hanoi, Gobind met Asean secretary-general, Dr Kao Kim Hourn, where they reaffirmed Malaysia’s strong commitment to the region's digital future. They also re-emphasised the importance of accelerating the Asean Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) as a key driver of future economic growth. DEFA holds significant economic potential for the region by enabling greater cross-border digital trade, strengthening interoperability, and improving market access.
Most importantly, DEFA can help unlock new growth opportunities for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises by lowering barriers to participation in the regional digital economy, expanding customer reach, and creating a more seamless environment for Asean businesses to innovate and scale.
"Malaysia remains committed to working closely with Asean Member States to build a secure, sustainable, and inclusive digital future — one that creates tangible opportunities for all segments of society and strengthens Asean’s competitiveness in the global digital economy," Gobind added.
