KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 — The federal government is developing a National Cloud Policy aimed at enabling businesses of all sizes to tap this technology and improve their competitiveness on the global scale, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said today.

Attending the launch of global search giant Google’s data centre in Malaysia, he said the policy will have four main areas of focus and that the cloud policy will work in tandem with the federal government’s plan for artificial intelligence (AI) in Malaysia.

"First the Madani government will be to boost public service innovation and efficiency,” the prime minister said in his officiating address.

"This is particularly important, which is why I’ve decided to change the public sector salary scheme...and more importantly with the revised salary scheme the level of efficiency must increase exponentially.”

The policy’s second area of focus will be to promote economic competitiveness and growth, with priorities given to spurring small and medium enterprises.

Third and fourth core focus will be strengthening user trust and what Anwar called digital inclusivity.

The Anwar administration is also helping set up a national AI office.

Anwar said the office will coordinate initiatives, including completing a five-year technology action plan as well as a regulatory framework to increase adoption of ethical and sustainable AI within the next 12 months.

Google had agreed to build a US$2 billion (RM8.2 billion) data centre in Selangor, Malaysia’s main industrial hub and administrative centre, as part of its plan to establish a Google Cloud region in the country.

Anwar has touted the RM8.2 billion investment as proof of growing confidence in his economic policies.

Google said the project is expected to create 26,500 jobs and contribute more than US$3 billion (RM13 billion) to its economy by 2030.