[This is a sponsored article with MDEC, but the editorial team had full control over the content. ]

If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’d know that Malaysia is now at the centre of Southeast Asia’s AI infrastructure boom.

New data centres are continuously being announced across Johor and the Klang Valley, with the most recent ones being China’s Alibaba and Singapore-based Digital Decarbonization Solutions Platform (DDSP). 

As more and more global technology firms expand their cloud and AI capabilities here, it’s easy to get awed by the billion-ringgit investment flowing into our digital economy. These investments also reflect Malaysia’s growing strengths under the Malaysia Digital (MD) national strategic initiative, which is accelerating the development of a robust digital and AI ecosystem.

But have you ever wondered why Malaysia is chosen for these expansions?

Out of all our SEA-blings, why Malaysia?

Today, Malaysia is one of the few countries in the Southeast Asia region that has built something worth betting on before the hyperscalers arrived.

NationGate, a Penang-based manufacturer, had spent years quietly qualifying for one of NVIDIA’s most exclusive global partnerships. They’re currently one of only four companies across all of Asia that have earned the right to assemble NVIDIA’s most advanced AI servers. 

Similarly, SNS Network in Cyberjaya is making high-performance GPU computing accessible to businesses that would otherwise struggle to afford the hardware themselves.

MDEC’s Founders Center of Excellence (FOX) programme has also assembled a cohort of high-growth Malaysia Digital (MD) status software companies, giving them the strategic support to scale, expand regionally and contribute to Malaysia’s growing AI ecosystem.

So how does each layer actually work? Let’s break it down.

The hardware layer: Building the machines that power AI

You probably won’t see NationGate’s name on your AI tools, but their systems run on the infrastructure the firm helped build.

Founded in 2010 by Datuk Ooi Eng Leong and his wife Tan Ah Geok, NationGate started as a general electronics manufacturing services provider before pivoting into AI server assembly. That pivot proved timely. 

As demand for AI infrastructure accelerated worldwide, NationGate emerged as one of its beneficiaries. In just 2024 alone, the firm’s revenue reportedly surged from RM638 million to RM5.27 billion, an increase of more than eightfold.

Beyond the NVIDIA partnership, what makes NationGate’s position defensible is its operational depth. The company assembles servers using NVIDIA’s H200 and B200 AI GPU chips—among the most sought-after in the world—and ships them primarily to Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. 

It also offers servers using the older H100 chips and Intel rack servers, positioning NationGate to serve both cutting-edge AI workloads and more cost-sensitive enterprise deployments. This diversification is highly important as AI infrastructure demand continues to expand faster than supply can keep up.

The access layer: Putting GPU power within local (and global) reach

As one of Malaysia’s leading ICT distributors and super server suppliers, SNS Network is far from a new player in the AI boom.

The Ipoh-founded company built its name in the local tech supply chain as a distributor of hardware and servers to businesses. But as competition in AI server distribution grew, SNS Network shifted its focus into GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS).

Called SNS AI Factory, it’s a fully managed AI cloud infrastructure service built with NVIDIA and Dell Technologies. Instead of buying expensive hardware, companies can rent computing power for workloads across industries like financial services, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and telecommunications. 

Its GPUaaS also addresses another challenge facing AI adoption: data sovereignty.

For banks, hospitals, and government agencies, sensitive data often cannot be freely stored or processed overseas due to regulatory and security requirements. By keeping the infrastructure in Malaysia, companies can easily overcome these barriers to adopting AI.

Pricing starts at around RM35,000 per GPU per month, as SNS Network aims to offer more companies access to AI infrastructure without large upfront costs. “[This] allows (companies) flexibility to scale their computing needs on demand,” stated its Managing Director, Ko Yun Hung.

The intelligence layer: What gets plugged in

Hardware alone doesn’t build an AI economy. Data centres and GPU clusters are only the foundation. What matters is what gets built on top of them.

That’s where Malaysia’s MD status ecosystem and the MDEC Founders Centre of Excellence (FOX) programme come in. An invitation-only initiative, FOX provides Malaysian companies with strategic support, investor access, and regional expansion opportunities to scale up.

Three MD status companies show how this plays out.

Glem.ai tackles the deployment gap. Its AI platform helps large organisations, regulated industries, and government users scale AI deployments without being locked into a single vendor. 

This addresses the practical roadblocks that often prevent AI projects from moving past the pilot stage. As its CEO, Ryan Tay, puts it plainly: “Our focus has always been on solving the real barriers that stop enterprises and institutions from deploying AI at scale: data sovereignty, governance, and production reliability.” 

Since its launch last year, the company has won the Talent Innovation Award at ITEC 2025 in Beijing, showing what’s possible when local innovation is nurtured with the right support and opportunities to scale internationally.

On the other hand, DeltaSpike addresses the blind spot that tends to get discovered too late. As AI becomes more integrated in critical business workflows, it also becomes a target. This gap is what DeltaSpike aims to fill with its Agentic SOC: an intelligence-drive, automation-first security operations model designed to proactively contain security threats.

“Our goal is to embed intelligent, proactive protection into the DNA of business growth. This investment serves as a mandate to accelerate Malaysia’s cybersecurity capability while providing a robust security anchor for Southeast Asia,” shared its Chairman,Taufik Othman.

DeltaSpike’s vision has since attracted institutional backing. In April 2026, DeltaSpike secured a strategic investment from VentureTECH to accelerate its capabilities and regional expansion across Southeast Asia.

Last but not least is Cloud Space, a cloud and AI infrastructure solutions provider focused on helping businesses deploy scalable digital systems across regional markets.

As Malaysia’s 2025 Google Cloud Country Partner of the Year, Cloud Space helps enterprises modernise legacy systems, migrate to cloud infrastructure, and deploy AI-enabled applications at scale.

Google Cloud’s President of Global Partner Ecosystem, Kevin Ichhpurani, commended the firm in 2025, stating, “Cloud Space’s commitment to delivering innovative cloud solutions and measurable outcomes for clients has made a significant impact over the past year.”

More than the sum of its parts

Taken on their own, NationGate, SNS Network and MD status companies Glem.ai, DeltaSpike, and Cloud Space are already strong stories. But what makes Malaysia’s position interesting is how they connect.

Each layer feeds the next. Easier access to GPU infrastructure lowers the barrier for enterprises to experiment with AI, which drives demand for local AI applications. As adoption grows, it increases the need for more computing capacity underneath. 

Over time, this builds a full ecosystem that continues to attract foreign investment, accelerate AI adoption and reinforce Malaysia’s position as a regional digital hub.

As Malaysia’s AI ecosystem continues to grow, the capabilities being built today will help advance the aspirations of Malaysia Digital 2030 (MD2030) while laying the foundations for Malaysia’s vision of becoming an AI Nation by 2030.

• Learn more about MDEC and the MD Status here.

Featured Image Credit: NationGate / Pixabay

Turkey will bar social media platforms from serving children under 15 from 1 November, under rules published in the country’s Official Gazette, Inci Ozbek reported for Bloomberg.

Platforms must check users’ ages when they sign up, using a token from Turkey’s e-government system. Anyone found to be under 15 must be blocked.

Existing accounts must be checked by 31 March 2027, and those held by under-15s shut down.

Strict limits for older teens

Accounts for 15 to 17-year-olds will be private by default and filtered. They cannot show personalised ads or offer livestreaming, and platforms must block screenshots of them.

Teens can only message accounts they already follow, and endless scrolling feeds must be switched off, Daily Sabah reported.

Parents must get tools to manage settings, limit screen time and approve purchases.

The rules cover platforms including Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, WhatsApp, Telegram, Discord and Reddit, Daily Sabah said.

Fines of up to 3%

Firms that break the rules face fines of up to 3% of global revenue, ad bans and cuts to their internet bandwidth under Turkey’s internet law.

Parliament passed the law in April, a week after a school shooting.

Turkey joins a growing list of countries trying to keep children off social media. Australia led the way, but its under-16 ban has struggled with enforcement.

If your webcam turns on when you did not expect it, investigate the activity before assuming someone has hacked your computer. A Windows camera light or notification, or the green camera indicator on a Mac, can confirm that the camera is active, but you still need to identify what is using it and whether that use is legitimate.

Start with ordinary causes such as a video-call app, browser tab, or facial sign-in feature. If those do not explain the activity, check camera permissions and then move to malware checks only when the evidence justifies it.

What an Unexpected Webcam Indicator Can Tell You

A camera-use indicator answers one important question: is the camera active? It does not automatically tell you who started it or why.

On Windows 11, a hardware camera light turns on when the camera is active if the device has one. On computers without a camera light, Windows shows a notification when the camera turns on or off. That activity may come from software you intentionally opened, a website, a Windows feature, or something you do not recognize.

Windows Hello is one legitimate example that can cause confusion. If you use facial recognition to sign in, Windows Hello can use the camera even when ordinary app camera access is turned off. Camera activity during a normal facial sign-in therefore does not, by itself, point to unauthorized access.

On a Mac, a green privacy indicator means a camera is being used. Opening Control Center may also show which app is currently using the camera. For the built-in Mac camera specifically, Apple says the hardware is engineered so that the camera cannot activate without its green indicator light also turning on. Do not assume the same hardware behavior applies to every external USB webcam.

General symptoms such as a slow computer, crashes, redirects, or unfamiliar browser additions can occur with malware, but they are weak evidence of webcam misuse by themselves. The FTC lists these kinds of behaviors as possible signs of a broader malware infection, not proof of camera compromise. A camera-specific indicator or identifiable camera-using process is more useful when answering the narrower question of what used your webcam.

Understanding camera and microphone permissions also helps you interpret what your operating system can actually block, record, or show.

What Windows 11 Can and Cannot Show About Camera Access

Windows can provide useful clues, but its Camera privacy page is not a complete history of every program that could ever reach the camera.

Open Start > Settings > Privacy & security > Camera. Microsoft Store apps that use the Windows permission system can appear with individual camera controls. Desktop apps work differently: browsers, traditional Windows programs, and many video-call applications are controlled through the broader Let desktop apps access your camera setting.

Windows can also show desktop applications it has detected interacting with the camera. For a listed desktop app, Microsoft says you can select it to see details about the specific file that accessed the camera or microphone. That can help when the displayed app name is unfamiliar.

There is an important limit. Some desktop apps can interact with camera hardware in ways Windows privacy controls do not fully govern. An application may install a driver, for example, and communicate more directly with the hardware. Microsoft also warns that desktop apps may not always appear in the Camera settings list.

For that reason, an empty or familiar-looking app list is useful evidence, but it is not absolute proof that no desktop program touched the camera. If unexplained activity continues, combine the permission check with the timing of the camera indicator and the security checks later in this article.

Also account for Windows Hello before treating sign-in activity as suspicious. Facial sign-in can use the camera even when ordinary app camera access is disabled.

What macOS Can Show About Camera Access

A Mac gives you two different clues: a live privacy indicator and a list of installed third-party apps that have requested permission to use the camera.

A green privacy indicator beside Control Center means a camera is in use. If you open Control Center while the indicator is present, the top of the panel may identify which app is using the camera. Check this before closing everything if you are trying to find the source of unexpected activity.

You can then open Apple menu > System Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera. The list contains installed apps that have asked to use the camera. Turn access off for software that does not need it.

Built-in Apple apps are an important exception to how that list should be interpreted. FaceTime, Photo Booth, and other apps included with macOS automatically have camera access and do not need to appear as third-party permission requests. Their absence from the list therefore does not mean they cannot use the camera.

Safari website access is separate as well. Open Safari > Settings > Websites > Camera to review site-level camera permissions. This matters when the camera activity began while a browser tab was open.

For the Mac’s built-in camera, the green hardware indicator has unusually strong diagnostic value because Apple states that the built-in camera is engineered not to activate without the indicator. Keep that claim within its proper scope: it does not establish how every third-party external camera behaves.

When Unexplained Camera Activity Becomes a Security Problem

One unexplained camera light deserves investigation. It becomes more concerning when the camera keeps activating after ordinary causes have been ruled out or when other evidence points to unwanted software.

For example, repeated activation deserves more attention if you also find an unfamiliar program, a security alert, or software you did not intend to install. By contrast, slow performance, crashes, browser redirects, or other general symptoms can occur for many reasons and should not be presented as proof that someone is watching through the webcam.

Malware is harmful software that can run on a device without the user’s knowledge and may steal information or perform other unwanted actions. Once credible malware evidence appears, the investigation should shift from one camera permission to the security of the entire computer.

On Windows 11, open Windows Security and select Virus & threat protection. You can start with a Quick scan, choose a Full scan to check every file and program, or open Scan options for other choices. If you are particularly concerned about persistent malware, Microsoft Defender Offline restarts the PC and scans without loading normal Windows, making persistent malware more difficult to hide or defend itself. Save open work before choosing the offline scan because the computer restarts.

macOS takes a different approach. It includes built-in protections such as Gatekeeper, Notarization, and XProtect. XProtect automatically detects and blocks known malware and can remediate infections. Apple describes these protections as automatic; it does not provide a universal user-facing “run XProtect scan” control comparable to Windows Security’s on-demand scan choices.

If you clicked a suspicious link or opened an attachment and think malware may have been downloaded, the FTC advises you to stop sensitive account logins, update security software, run a security scan, then change passwords and enable two-factor authentication. Use a device you trust for sensitive account recovery if you believe the affected computer may still be compromised.

Broader habits that reduce malware risk while browsing can lower the chance of another infection, but they do not replace investigating the camera activity that brought you here.

How to Secure the Webcam After the Check

Once you have identified the cause or completed the security investigation, remove access that no longer has a clear purpose. Do not uninstall or delete unfamiliar software solely because its name looks strange; identify what it is first and use credible security findings to guide removal.

• Turn off camera permission for apps that no longer need video access.
• Remove persistent browser-site permissions that you do not recognize or use.
• Uninstall software only after you have identified it as unwanted or a trusted security tool has detected it as harmful.
• Keep the operating system, browser, conferencing apps, and security tools updated.
• Use a built-in hardware shutter when your computer provides one, or unplug an external USB webcam when you want a clear physical barrier.

For the broader preventive setup, including physical camera controls and platform-specific permission hardening, you can secure your webcam on Mac and Windows PCs without turning every future camera event into a security investigation.

A webcam cover and camera permissions solve different problems: one physically blocks the lens, while the other controls software access. Neither should be treated as a complete substitute for the other.

Verify That the Camera Is Back Under Your Control

The investigation is complete when normal camera use still works, unnecessary access has been removed, and the unexplained activity that triggered the check no longer appears during ordinary use.

If the webcam begins activating unexpectedly again and you still cannot connect the activity to a legitimate app, website, or operating-system feature, do not treat the earlier quiet period as proof that the problem is fixed. Return to the diagnostic steps and escalate the security investigation when the evidence calls for it.

Modders have spent years trimming Nintendo Wii motherboards down to the absolute minimum so they fit inside handheld shells that resemble the original Game Boy. Xenii refined that approach across earlier Xii-Boy versions until the latest Ultra revision arrived as a fully modular kit. Tito from Macho Nacho Productions assembled one, and the result sits at roughly 145 by 86 by 27 millimeters while still containing a genuine Wii board that has undergone the standard OMGWTF trim.

Assembly is based on Super Friction Fit connectors and custom boards that simply click together, with no messy internal wiring. Seven specialty PCBs handle power management, audio quality, visual output, and controller inputs. The RVL-DD board is essential for driving a high-quality 3.5-inch, 480p screen that looks far better than Composite Video ever did. With two 18650 cells producing 7000 milliamp-hours, you can play for two to three hours, depending on the game. The USB-C port not only charges but also transfers files, and a microSD card keeps the games once the optical drive is removed, which is a significant plus for space and power savings.

Face buttons and membranes are obtained from a donor DSi or DS Lite, or from aftermarket sets that the modder acquires separately, as the kit excludes these. With analog triggers employing the same Joy-Con mechanisms as the Switch, original GameCube titles retain full pressure sensitivity. Want to bring back online multiplayer? Simply plug in the extra WiFi and Bluetooth modules, and you can connect original Wii remotes for motion controllers as well as the infrared pointer. It also has an adjustable fan to keep the temperature down, volume and brightness can be controlled directly from the keys, and an RGB led indicates how the battery is doing. If you ever need to repair a part, the entire device can be disassembled with a screwdriver, and the design allows the key components to be pulled out with no issues.

Want to run Wii, GameCube, Virtual Console, or homebrew games at full speed? No problem, as long as you softmod the board and load it with the right software. The same board can also be inserted into a second Wii for larger screen viewing and shared saves. The alternative portable Wii builds required hours of soldering and permanent cabling, making repairs a headache.

This mod takes a step back and ensures that there is a clear separation between the main motherboard, power system, screen, as well as controls, so that the entire system remains functional and parts can be readily swapped out if necessary. Tito’s build demonstrates how all of the components fit together after they’re all plugged in, combining years of community changes into a single great-looking handheld that plays the whole library of original hardware titles without the need for software emulation.

The downgrade Google announced last week is now starting to show up on free Gemini accounts. The old model picker is disappearing, leaving a single Auto option in its place. Instead of deciding whether to use Flash, Pro, or another available model, free users now hand that choice over to Google.

Auto will handle most everyday prompts with Flash-Lite. If Gemini decides a request needs more reasoning, it can move the task to Flash or Pro on its own. There is one important catch, though. Turning off smart model selection means every response falls back to Flash-Lite, so the only way free users can reach stronger models is by letting Google make the call (via 9to5Google). Google is giving people another kind of control at the same time, but it works very differently from choosing a model yourself.

Google is giving users effort controls instead

Low, Medium, and High effort levels are rolling out across Gemini, replacing the previous Extended option. Low prioritizes speed, High gives the system more room to work through difficult prompts, and Medium sits between the two. The result is a slightly odd split in how much control free users actually have. They can choose how much reasoning they want Gemini to apply, but the model doing that work is now largely out of their hands.

Gemini is becoming harder to use without paying

Google has been pushing Gemini deeper into its hardware and software ecosystem. The new Pixel phones already have a boatload of AI features, and now the new Googlebook laptops, which put Gemini at the center of the experience, have also arrived. The company is also bundling paid AI plans with some of that hardware, and of course, once you get used to these more capable models, you will feel the difference when you switch back to the free tier. Google has not said the change is meant to push free users toward a subscription. Still, taking direct model choice away gives paying customers another clear advantage.

Forever Ago

Developer: Third Shift
Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
Platforms: Steam (Windows; Steam Deck Verified), Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox for PC
Price: Usually $20, with a 10 percent launch discount (PS Plus required for the PS5 discount). Also available on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass

There are several aspects of Forever Ago that didn’t totally work for me. The storytelling is occasionally clumsy and it’s sometimes functionally clunky. For instance, prompts to interact with items tended to disappear and it often took a few moments of adjustment for them to pop back up. But despite these issues, I feel like I was supposed to play this game right now.

Forever Ago is a road trip adventure that tells the story of Alfred, an older man who’s on a scavenger hunt of sorts. It factors in several of the places and memories that shaped his relationship with his late wife, Audrey, who set up this quest for him. As you might imagine, things don’t really go according to plan. It’s a tale about dealing with grief, discovering one’s self after losing a defining part of their life and the incessant march of time. You’ll explore, take photos, do some light puzzle solving and meet other characters.

The story is affecting (if not particularly novel) while the writing and Piotr Michael’s portrayal of Arthur make it easy to sympathize with this abrasive, struggling character. Clark Aboud’s lovely score even helped me get that one Bon Iver song the title references out of my head.

What strikes me the most about Forever Ago is its slow, deliberate pace, even if it’s not particularly long. My mind is often racing at 100 miles an hour and distractions snatch away my attention more often than I’d like. Forever Ago was absorbing enough to capture my full focus. Most importantly, it feels honest and sincere. I found it soothing and had to sit with my thoughts for a while after finishing it, which means it achieved what the developers intended.

The Traitors: Interactive Game

Developer: Fusebox Games
Platforms: iOS, Android
Price: Free, with in-app purchases

Despite my best intentions, I am hooked on the latest season of The Celebrity Traitors. I am generally terrible at social deception games since I’m a rotten liar so, as with the aforementioned Among Us spinoff, a single-player spin on the format could be fun.

The action plays out in similar fashion to the show. The aim is to survive until the end of the game, either as a Faithful or Traitor. After picking a character trait, you’ll choose daily outfits, tackle missions to increase the prize pot, forge alliances with other characters and either try to vote out Traitors or eliminate Faithfuls. I don’t love that there are microtransactions here, but I’ll still give it a go.

Shil

Developers: OSM Games, Nuostabūs Žaidimai
Publisher: OSM Games
Platform: Meta Quest. Coming to Steam later
Price: $15

The last time I heard about this trippy-looking puzzle platformer, back in May, it was supposed to be hitting Steam and VR next year, but it’s already out on Meta Quest. The developers used silhouettes and a two-tone art style to create some striking visuals that mask secrets and threats.

The latest trailer for this horror-inflected game is almost enough to make me want to snap up a Quest headset so I can play it now. Maybe the Steam version (a release date for which is said to be coming “very soon”) will prompt me to finally hook up the PS VR2 adaptor that’s been next to my PC for over a year.

Echo Weaver

Developer: Moonlight Kids
Publisher: Akupara Games
Platforms: Steam (Windows, Mac; Steam Deck Verified; demo available), Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Xbox for PC, PS5 (with a one-hour trial for PS Plus Premium members), Switch 2
Price: Usually $20, with a 10 percent discount on Steam until October 22. Also available on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass

In similar fashion to my favorite game from last year, a “Metroidbrainia” called Öoo, you’ll need to have your thinking cap on while playing Echo Weaver. Unlike in many Metroidvanias, your progress here is gated by your knowledge rather than unlockable powers. You’ll start with all of the abilities you need to beat the game, but it might take you a while to figure out what they are and how to use them.

You’ll also need to conquer a time loop. Here, time is a resource you can consume to heal, trade and even open up new routes. I’m into the art direction of this game, and I always enjoy having a glaive as a weapon. This particular one has reality-bending powers, which makes it even more appealing. While I may sometimes struggle with puzzles, there’s little I like more in games than that “a-ha!” moment when you hit upon a solution. Echo Weaver seems like it could have quite a few of those.