KUALA LUMPUR: Staff of Communications Ministry should harness Artificial Intelligence (AI) to boost productivity, sharpen service delivery and fight fake news, said its minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.
Speaking at the 2024 Communications Ministry Excellent Service Awards (APC) Ceremony for the Peninsular Zone , Fahmi said AI must be used wisely to complement – not replace – human effort and excellence.
“I acknowledge the growing challenges, especially for the ministry personnel, with the rise of AI. But it shouldn’t be seen as a shortcut for plagiarism. Instead, AI should serve as a smart assistant,” he said.
Fahmi shared his experience using AI tools such as Google Gemini, ChatGPT, Copilot and DeepSeek for work-related queries and decision-making.
“Just like how we use Waze or Maps to navigate, AI can help us work smarter, but it doesn’t replace the need for effort and quality.
“Ministry staff are encouraged to swiftly understand and make full use of AI tools, especially now that many tasks can be simplified with AI support.” said.
He also urged the Institut Penyiaran dan Penerangan Tun Abdul Razak to ramp up training efforts for civil servants in AI usage.
Fahmi proposed that a record be maintained of all departments and agencies receiving such training from the institute.
In the fight against misinformation, Fahmi highlighted AI’s role in content verification, citing X (formerly Twitter), which now includes an AI tool Grok, that analyses posts and adds factual context when false information is detected.
He noted that the government previously launched an AI-driven fact-checking chatbot called Aifa to curb fake news on WhatsApp, following a survey that revealed many Malaysians rely on the app for news updates.
“AI can be a powerful tool against misinformation, but it must be used responsibly,” he stressed.
At the awards ceremony, 541, including one medal recipient, from the ministry and its peninsula-based agencies, were honoured.
“Receiving such an award should not breed complacency. It must serve as a benchmark for even better service. From here, our performance must continue to rise,” he said.
Also present were Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching, its secretary-general Datuk Mohamad Fauzi Md Isa, and Bernama CEO Datin Paduka Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin.
On Asean, Fahmi said the government is actively leading high-level discussions aimed at securing outcomes that benefit not only Malaysia but the entire Asean region, as the country gears up to host the Asean Summit on May 26 and 27.
He said Malaysia is leveraging its role as chair to share its experience in managing cyber and digital security, including regulatory measures applied to international tech platforms.
“Recently, we encouraged Asean nations to explore collective strategic frameworks to tackle regional challenges. One such initiative is the development of a ‘toolkit’ to combat online harms.
“We’ve seen the damage caused by scams, cyberbullying and the spread of extremist ideologies on social media here in Malaysia.”
Fahmi added that Asean’s varying levels of digital development make regional collaboration crucial.
“Malaysia is currently the only country to have officially succeeded in licensing an application like Telegram.
“We cannot become a truly excellent nation by only looking inward. We must understand and engage with the broader ecosystem, contributing to regional stability and shared prosperity.”
