Singapore Joins 21 Nations and the EU in Calling for International Oversight of Frontier AI — the Only Southeast Asian Signatory
Singapore signed a joint declaration on September 22 calling for international oversight and control of frontier AI models, joining the European Union and 20 other nations including Germany, Canada, Australia, the United Arab Emirates, Norway, Kenya, Kazakhstan and Turkey, according to Asia News Network and Al Jazeera. The declaration, coordinated by Finland and Norway, is titled "A Call for Control of Frontier AI Models." Singapore is the only Southeast Asian country among the signatories.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong explained the decision in a September 22 Facebook post, saying Singapore wants to "harness AI effectively to benefit the Republic and its people" while guarding against the risks that come as the technology grows more powerful. Wong said "AI must always remain under human control and oversight," framing the declaration as a response to risks that "cross borders" and therefore require international cooperation rather than unilateral national rules.
Rather than proposing a single new global regulator, the declaration calls on UN member states to build on existing international mechanisms and explore creating an institution that can set standards, enable verification, and convene states when AI capability thresholds are crossed. It also urges governments and industry to develop coordinated safety standards, share incident reports, and require independent testing before deployment. Notably absent: the United States and China, the world's two leading AI powers, neither of which joined the statement — though Al Jazeera reported the declaration remains open for later endorsement, and that AI is expected to come up when Trump and Xi meet at the White House.
Malaysia's Anwar Secures AgiBot's RM1 Billion Robotics Pledge and ZTE's RM170 Million Digital Commitment in Hangzhou
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim met senior management from five Chinese industry giants — AgiBot Innovation, ZTE Corporation, Alibaba Group, Geely Automobile Holdings and Huawei Technologies — on September 23, during a three-day working visit to Shanghai and Hangzhou, according to The Sun and Free Malaysia Today. AgiBot, which specializes in general-purpose AI robotics, pledged a potential investment of RM1 billion in Malaysia by 2035, with the potential to create 5,000 jobs. The company already operates the AI World Experience Centre at i-City Shah Alam, opened in January in partnership with property developer I-Bhd — Malaysia was AgiBot's first market outside China.
ZTE separately outlined RM170 million in initiatives and investments aimed at Malaysia's digital transformation and local job creation. Discussions with the other three companies centered on humanoid robotics, digital infrastructure, AI, EV technology and e-commerce, Anwar said, without disclosing comparable figures for Alibaba, Geely or Huawei.
Anwar followed the corporate meetings by speaking at the opening ceremony of the 5th Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou on September 24, officiated by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, according to The Star. He said Malaysia "will continue to open our economy to benefit digital investments and partnerships," citing worker discipline, multilingual capability and rule-based governance as the country's competitive advantages for accessing wider Asian markets. China has been Malaysia's largest trading partner for 17 consecutive years, with bilateral trade reaching $113.82 billion between January and August 2026.
Indonesia's DANA Lands 01Fintech Backing as Investors Bet on Tier 2-4 Digital Wallet Reach
01F Group's growth-stage private equity arm, 01Fintech, announced a new investment in DANA, Indonesia's digital wallet and financial services platform, on September 21, according to DealStreetAsia and Fintech.Global. The investment amount was not disclosed. DANA, founded in 2018, serves consumers, merchants and financial institutions across Indonesia, with particular reach into micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Tier 2-4 cities and regions outside the Jakarta core.
The two companies plan to explore several joint initiatives: connecting DANA's MSME base with lending and working-capital products, expanding access to micro-insurance and digital savings tools, and developing cross-border payment options by drawing on 01Fintech's regional network. 01F Group founder Kenny Man said the decision was grounded in "DANA's operational discipline, its role in supporting local MSMEs, and the resilience of its management team," while DANA chief executive Vince Iswara said 01Fintech brings "specialized fintech expertise, strategic regional connectivity, and a shared commitment to sustainable growth" beyond the capital itself.
Eyes on the Week Ahead
Thailand's SEC closes its public-comment window on the 5-million-baht daily stablecoin transfer cap on September 25 — the deadline Layer 7 flagged in last week's issue — after which the same-owner rule and threshold move toward finalization. Separately, watch for any follow-through from Anwar's Hangzhou meetings: formal joint-venture filings, site announcements or hiring commitments from AgiBot or ZTE would be the first concrete evidence that this week's pledges are converting into deployed capital rather than remaining diplomatic goodwill.
Layer 7 Ventures is a research-driven firm focused on AI and cryptocurrency in Southeast Asia. Views expressed are those of the firm and do not constitute investment advice.
