Malaysia’s 13th Malaysia Plan (Rancangan Malaysia Ke-13, RMK13) for 2026-2030 was released in 2026, establishing an “AI Nation 2030” national aspiration. The plan allocates RM 67 billion to education reform and specifically mandates that civil servants undergo intensive AI and digital skills training. Universities are directed to expand AI-related electives, and a digital and AI skills imperative is embedded across all education levels. The plan also targets 10,000 schools to receive smartboards by 2027 as part of digital infrastructure investment.
The 13th Malaysia Plan builds on the National AI Action Plan 2026-2030 (tabled in Parliament December 2025) and provides the financial framework for its delivery. Together, they represent Malaysia’s most comprehensive binding commitment to AI capacity-building across government, education, and industry.
Who it affects: Malaysian civil servants (through a mandated AI and digital skills training requirement), students at all levels (through AI skills objectives embedded in the national development plan), and schools receiving physical digital infrastructure. The plan is the primary public spending blueprint for Malaysia’s AI transformation agenda.
What is notably missing: The RM 67 billion is an overall education allocation, not exclusively for AI — the precise amount designated for AI-specific training and curriculum is not disaggregated in available sources. The civil servant AI training mandate does not yet specify minimum standards or a defined curriculum, and does not yet constitute a fully enforceable obligation with penalties for non-compliance.