KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 — Wawasan information chief and Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal has urged Putrajaya to maintain Digital Nasional Bhd’s (DNB) Western technology stack, saying it is needed to balance the growing role of Chinese technology in Malaysia’s 5G and AI infrastructure.
Wan Fayhsal made the call in the Dewan Rakyat while Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is also the Tambun MP, was present in the chamber.
He said DNB’s Ericsson-based network was now Malaysia’s main Western technology counterweight, following U Mobile’s selection of Huawei for the country’s second 5G network.
He said the need to retain that balance had become more pressing as the government considers Huawei’s Ascend 910C chips for its proposed sovereign AI cloud, which could eventually handle sensitive government data.
“DNB was established by the Perikatan Nasional government in 2021. Now there are two paths, namely DNB with Ericsson and U Mobile with Huawei,” he said during his Budget 2027 debate.
“This is a good thing because Malaysia can benefit from Western and Eastern technology, as stressed by Tambun previously.”
Wan Fayhsal said Malaysia should not allow one technology ecosystem to become dominant across its critical digital infrastructure.
“I hope the government can retain both systems because, in my discussions with ambassadors from Europe and other Western countries, they want Malaysia to provide truly sovereign digital infrastructure so that they can invest in sensitive sectors,” he said.
The MP said keeping DNB on Western technology was therefore about more than 5G coverage or speed. It would give Malaysia and foreign investors a credible alternative for operations involving sensitive data.
He said the government’s proposed sovereign AI cloud made this consideration more urgent.
The government had announced a proposed RM2 billion allocation through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to establish the cloud under Budget 2026, with the initiative repeated in Budget 2027.
Wan Fayhsal said Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil had stated that work was under way to protect government data.
“Huawei Ascend 910C chips are being considered, and Telekom Malaysia (TM) has been selected to manage this project,” he said.
“The question is whether the government has carried out a risk assessment on the suppliers who will be used to handle national data.
“How will the government manage sensitivities related to digital sovereignty?”
He said the issue was whether Malaysia was building enough safeguards and alternatives as Chinese technology takes a greater role in the country’s digital ecosystem.
“The minister said work is ongoing to protect government data,” he said. “The government must explain whether it has conducted a risk assessment of the suppliers.”
Wan Fayhsal did not call for Chinese technology to be excluded. Instead, he said Malaysia should preserve both Western and Chinese technology pathways, so the country is not dependent on any one supplier or geopolitical bloc.
“Malaysia can benefit from Western and Eastern technology,” he said.
Maintaining DNB’s Ericsson-based stack, he added, would ensure that Malaysia retains a meaningful Western option while U Mobile’s Huawei-backed 5G network and the proposed sovereign AI cloud expand the role of Chinese technology in critical national infrastructure.