Malaysia and Zetrix AI Partner to Build Global Standards for Shariah-Compliant Artificial Intelligence

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13 Sep, 2025, 14:49 GMT

JOHOR BAHRU, Malaysia, Sept. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a significant step towards islamic values-based artificial intelligence, Zetrix AI Berhad, developer of the world's first Shariah-aligned Large Language Model (LLM) NurAi and the Government of Malaysia, through the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs), today signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to collaborate on establishing the foremost global framework for Shariah compliance, certification and governance in AI. The ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister YAB Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Building Trust in NurAI

This image opens in the lightbox — Front row: Datuk Mohd Jimmy Wong Abdullah, Director of Zetrix AI Berhad (left) and Dato’ Dr. Sirajuddin Suhaimee, Director General of Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) (right), during the signing of the Letter of Intent between Zetrix AI Berhad and the Government of Malaysia, through the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs). Back row, from the left: The signing was witnessed by YB Tuan Haji Mohd Fared bin Khalid, Chairman of the Johor State Islamic Religious Affairs Committee; YB Dato’ Haji Asman Shah bin Abd. Rahman, Secretary of the Johor State Government; YAB Dato’ Onn Hafiz bin Ghazi, Chief Minister of Johor; YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia; and YB Senator Dato’ Setia Dr. Haji Mohd Na’im bin Haji Mokhtar, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs).

JAKIM, Malaysia's Department of Islamic Development, is internationally recognised as the gold standard in halal certification, accrediting foreign certification bodies across nearly 50 countries. Malaysia has consistently ranked first in the Global Islamic Economy Indicator, reflecting its leadership not only in halal certification but also in Islamic finance, food and education. By integrating emerging technologies such as AI and blockchain to enhance compliance and monitoring, Malaysia continues to set holistic benchmarks for the global Islamic economy.

NurAI has already established itself as a pioneering Shariah-aligned AI platform. With today's collaboration, JAKIM, under the Ministry's leadership, would play a central role in guiding the certification, governance and ethical standards of NurAI, ensuring its alignment with Islamic principles.

Additionally, this milestone underscores the urgent need for AI systems that move beyond secular or foreign-centric worldviews, offering instead a platform rooted in Islamic ethics. It positions Malaysia as a global leader in ethical and Shariah-compliant AI while setting international benchmarks. The initiative also reflects the country's halal and digitalisation agendas, ensuring AI remains trusted, secure, and representative of Muslim values while serving more than 2 billion people worldwide.

Prime Minister YAB Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim reinforced that national policies should incorporate various inputs, including digitalisation and artificial intelligence — and must always remain grounded in islamic principles and values that deserve emphasis.

Areas of Collaboration

Through the LOI, Zetrix AI and the Government via JAKIM, propose to collaborate in three key areas:

Shariah Certification and Governance — Developing frameworks, ethical guidelines and certification standards for AI systems rooted in Islamic principles.
Global Advocacy and Promotion — Positioning Malaysia as the global centre of excellence for Islamic AI and championing the Islamic digital economy projected at USD 5.74 trillion by 2030.
JAKIM's Official Channel on NurAI — Creating a trusted platform for Islamic legal rulings, halal certification and verified Shariah guidance, combating misinformation through AI.

Reinforcing Global Halal Tech Leadership

Through this collaboration, NurAI demonstrates how advanced AI can be guided by ethical and faith-based principles to serve global communities. By extending halal leadership into the digital economy particularly in Islamic finance, education and law — Malaysia positions itself as a key contributor to setting international benchmarks for Shariah-compliant AI.

Inclusive, Secure and Cost-Effective AI

NurAI is developed in Malaysia, supporting Bahasa Melayu, English, Indonesian and Arabic. It complies with national data sovereignty and cybersecurity policies, reducing reliance on foreign tools while ensuring AI knowledge stays local, trusted, and secure.

NurAI is available for download on nur-ai.zetrix.com

About Zetrix AI Berhad

Zetrix AI Berhad ("Zetrix AI"), formerly known as MY E.G. Services Berhad, is leading the way in the deployment of blockchain technology and artificial intelligence in powering the public and private sectors across ASEAN. Headquartered in Malaysia, Zetrix AI started operations in 2000 as a pioneer in the provision of electronic government services and complementary commercial offerings in its home country. Today, it has advanced to the forefront of technology transformation in the broader region, leveraging its Layer-1 blockchain platform Zetrix and embracing the convergence of Web3, AI and robotics to enable optimally-efficient, intelligent and secure cross-border transactions, digital identity interoperability and automation solutions that seamlessly connect peoples, businesses and governments.

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