KUALA LUMPUR: The government is open to exploring the potential monetisation of public sector data, said Minister of Digital Gobind Singh Deo.
He said any request to monetise government data would be assessed under the Data Commission, which is being developed.
“As we move forward, if there are requests to explore data monetisation, in other words, whether data usage can generate value or returns, these are also matters under consideration by the Data Commission,” he told reporters at the launch ceremony of the public sector data digitalisation policy and the expansion of the public sector data sharing platform MyGDX today.
Under the Data Sharing Act, Gobind said, a Data Committee has been established as an interim governance body to lay the groundwork for the formation of the Data Commission. “The committee is chaired by the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Digital and comprises representatives from all ministries.”
He said the committee is examining key issues related to the establishment of the Data Commission, including data definitions, ensuring data is fully digitised, storage and security requirements, data-sharing mechanisms and the effectiveness of MyGDX as a national data exchange platform.
“We must recognise that technology is constantly evolving, and we do not know what new technologies may emerge over the next 24 to 36 months.”
This is a key focus of the Data Commission, which will draw on insights from experts in AI and data to anticipate where technology is heading and enable early preparation, Gobind said.
“By digitising data today, we aim to ensure that the necessary foundations are in place for future technologies.”
When those technologies emerge, the country will be able to adopt and deploy them without delay, he said. “This is a critical initiative, as expert input particularly from AI and data specialists is essential.”
Gobind said that is the role of the Data Commission: to ensure Malaysia has the information and governance structures needed to move forward with new technologies. “In my view, this is how Malaysia progresses towards 2030 and its goal of becoming an AI nation.”
Separately, in a separate statement, the Ministry of Digital is calling on all government agencies and departments to work in synergy to drive the digital transformation of the public sector through the implementation of the Public Sector Data Digitisation Policy (PPDSA) and the expansion of MyGDX (Malaysian Government Central Data Exchange) platform, led by the National Digital Department.
Carrying the theme “Digital Automation through Technological Advancement, the launch of the policy and the platform underscores the ministry’s commitment as the lead driver of the national digitalisation agenda, aimed at enhancing the efficiency of public service delivery.
The ministry said PPDSA was developed to address the risks arising from inconsistencies in data governance and misaligned information across government agencies, which could undermine data integrity and the quality of critical decision-making at the highest levels.
The policy introduces standards focused on infrastructure, with emphasis on the validity and reliability of shared data, as well as long-term system sustainability.
The successful implementation of the policy opens the door to the adoption of agentic artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, supported by a digitally competent and skilled civil service, it said.
Meanwhile, MyGDX has been expanded to enhance existing systems across government agencies, covering data collection, matching and verification.
The ministry said manual workflows, reliance on physical documents and fragmented information systems (data silos) are being replaced with an integrated digital system that enables real-time access from anywhere, while ensuring the security of stored personal data.
Since its launch in December 2023, MyGDX has been utilised by 81 government agencies, comprising 51 data provider agencies and 23 data user agencies, through 49 integrated systems.
With more than 65 million API transactions recorded, the platform is facilitating the sharing of critical data, including civil servant profiles, higher education student information, passport verification, persons with disabilities status verification, and vehicle licensing and registration data.
