Malaysia · Voluntary framework

Malaysia National Guidelines on AI Governance and Ethics

MOSTI's National Guidelines on AI Governance and Ethics (AIGE), September 2024. The seven principles, who they speak to and the AI Code of Ethics.

The National Guidelines on AI Governance and Ethics (AIGE) are Malaysia's voluntary national principles for the responsible development and use of AI, published by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation in September 2024 under the National AI Roadmap 2021-2025. They set seven principles, namely fairness, reliability, safety and control, privacy and data security, inclusivity, transparency, accountability and human benefit, aligned with UNESCO, OECD and European Commission principles. They speak to end users, policymakers and the developers, designers and providers of AI. They are not legally binding. The National AI Office's voluntary AI Code of Ethics, published in 2026, turns them into practice.

What it is

The National Guidelines on AI Governance and Ethics, known as AIGE, are Malaysia’s national statement of how AI should be developed and used responsibly. The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) launched them in September 2024 as part of the National Artificial Intelligence Roadmap 2021-2025, under the theme “AI for Malaysia, AI for All”.

The guidelines set seven principles for trusted and responsible AI. The government says they align with principles from UNESCO, the OECD and the European Commission.

Fairness. AI should not produce unfair or discriminatory outcomes.
Reliability, safety and control. AI should work as intended and stay under appropriate control.
Privacy and data security. Personal data and systems should be protected.
Inclusivity. AI should benefit everyone, including groups at risk of being left out.
Transparency. People should be able to understand how AI is used and how it reaches its outputs.
Accountability. Someone should answer for each AI system and its outcomes.
Human benefit. AI should serve people and keep human autonomy intact.

Who it applies to

AIGE is voluntary. It is written for three audiences. End users and the public, so they know their rights and responsibilities around AI. Policymakers in government, agencies and institutions, as a guide to AI policy. And technology developers, designers and providers, so that what they build follows the principles.

What it requires

Nothing is legally required. AIGE asks organisations to adopt the seven principles as good practice. In 2026 AI Malaysia, the National AI Office under the Ministry of Digital, published a voluntary AI Code of Ethics (AICE) that bridges the principles and the design, development and deployment of AI systems, alongside a boardroom primer on AI adoption and governance for boards and senior management.

In practice, an organisation that wants to show it follows AIGE needs the same building blocks any AI governance programme uses. A register of the AI it runs with a named owner for each system, risk and impact assessments that look at fairness and inclusivity, a transparency statement, human oversight where AI affects people, and monitoring once a system is live. The AI governance framework guide covers how to put those together.

Key dates

September 2024. AIGE published by MOSTI.
10 July 2026. The Ministry of Digital, through the National AI Office, began engagement sessions on the proposed AI Governance Bill.
2026. AI Malaysia published the voluntary AI Code of Ethics.

How it relates to other frameworks

AIGE sets direction. The binding rule for AI that decides things about people is the Personal Data Protection Act, as explained in the Commissioner’s ADMP Guideline. A horizontal AI law is being prepared as the AI Governance Bill.

The principles echo the OECD AI Principles and the UNESCO Recommendation. Organisations that need a certifiable management system usually build on ISO/IEC 42001.

A note on this page

This is Aicura’s reading of AIGE. It is not legal advice and it is not the guidelines themselves. Read the primary source published by MOSTI, and take advice on how it applies to your organisation.

Last reviewed 18 October 2026. This page explains the framework to support your governance work. It is not legal advice; read the official source for the authoritative text.

Questions

Are the AIGE guidelines mandatory in Malaysia?

No. The Malaysian government describes them as voluntary. They encourage developers and deployers to adopt the seven principles as good practice, and the government calls them a living document that will be updated.

What are the seven AIGE principles?

Fairness; reliability, safety and control; privacy and data security; inclusivity; transparency; accountability; and human benefit. The government says they align with principles from UNESCO, the OECD and the European Commission.

What is the AI Code of Ethics (AICE)?

A voluntary, non-binding code from AI Malaysia, the National AI Office under the Ministry of Digital. It is designed as the bridge between the seven AIGE principles and the design, development and deployment of AI systems, and it does not change any legal requirement.

Does Malaysia have an AI law?

Not yet. The Ministry of Digital has drafted an AI Governance Bill and the Digital Minister said in September 2026 that he expected it to be tabled in Parliament by the first quarter of 2027 at the latest. Until then, the PDPA and its ADMP Guideline are the main binding rules for AI that uses personal data.

Start with the AI you run

Every framework begins with knowing which AI systems and agents you have. The AI register is free to start.