Editor’s note: this article is written in collaboration with MDEC
The Ministry of Digital (Malaysia) organized the Smart City Expo Kuala Lumpur (SCEKL 2025), from Sept 17 to 19 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, bringing together city leaders, policymakers, industry players, and innovators from across the region to co-create digital pathways that will shape ASEAN’s collective future. The outcomes reaffirm Malaysia’s commitment to advancing a people-first digital agenda, aligned with its ASEAN 2025 Chairmanship and the long-term vision of AI Nation 2030.
SCEKL 2025 welcomed 10,700 registered participants who came from all over the country and also from the ASEAN region. As the first Southeast Asian city to host the Smart City Expo World Congress, Kuala Lumpur has positioned itself as a convening hub for the region’s AI Cities and digital transformation dialogue. Delegates from 28 ASEAN cities underscored the event’s significance as a regional platform for collaboration and innovation, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said in a statement on Friday.
The expo also featured 146 speakers and 126 exhibitors from Malaysia and abroad who addressed critical themes spanning AI, digital governance, and citizen-centric innovation. Business matching sessions facilitated MYR414.68 million worth of export opportunities, while the AI Cities Pitch Lab saw active participation from eight ASEAN cities, showcasing practical use cases and future-ready solutions.
Several landmark collaborations were also unveiled, highlighting the breadth of partnerships driving ASEAN’s AI and digital transformation. These included the exchange of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under a joint initiative between the Malaysian Smart City Alliance Association (MSCA), Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), and Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) to advance AI Cities frameworks.
DNB and Ericsson formalised an MoU to launch the 21st Century Technologies Education Program, aimed at upskilling Malaysia’s civil service. DNB also formalized a Letter of Collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to co-develop a national AI Cities platform that will integrate cloud infrastructure, machine learning, and advanced data analytics to enable real-time urban operations and predictive decision-making.
Separately, MDEC and Dell Malaysia AI Innovation Hub agreed to pioneer advanced Climate AI prediction capabilities for George Town, Penang – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The City Leaders Roundtable further strengthened ASEAN cooperation by reaching consensus on the formation of an AI Cities Network, committing to develop an AI Cities Playbook, and establishing a dedicated working group and secretariat to sustain regional momentum.
Under the Ministry of Digital, the collaboration of city leaders, industry pioneers, and technology partners is positioning Malaysia as a regional leader in the ASEAN digital ecosystem while accelerating the nation’s progress towards inclusive, smart, and sustainable cities.
The Ministry of Digital affirms that the success of SCEKL 2025 is a testament to Malaysia’s commitment to digital innovation, regional collaboration, and sustainable urban development.
[SCEKL25] AI cities must be empowered by local expertise, platforms and solutions, says Malaysia PM