What did Liew Chin Tong say about AI and accountants?

He said AI will displace some less sophisticated accounting roles but is likely to create new ones that rely on human judgement and value-based decisions. He urged accountants to become more multidisciplinary.

What should Malaysian finance leaders pay attention to, according to Liew?

He said finance leaders should not ignore geopolitics, supply chains, AI and climate risk, and that doing so would mean falling short of their duties.

Talent & education 5 November 2026

Liew urges accountants to broaden their skills as AI reshapes finance

Deputy Finance Minister Liew Chin Tong on 5 November urged Malaysian accountants to become more multidisciplinary as AI reshapes the finance profession. According to Malay Mail, he said AI would displace some less sophisticated accounting roles but is likely to create others that depend on human judgement.

Key points

Liew said new roles will call for human judgement and value-based decisions, with fewer purely technical skills needed.
He argued that finance leaders who ignore geopolitics, supply chains, AI and climate risk would be falling short of their duties.
He also recently discussed long-awaited amendments to the Accountants Act 1967 with the Malaysian Institute of Accountants.

Why it matters for Malaysia

The remarks show AI entering Malaysia's professional skills debate at ministerial level, and finance is an early test of how local white-collar work will adapt.

Questions answered

What did Liew Chin Tong say about AI and accountants?: He said AI will displace some less sophisticated accounting roles but is likely to create new ones that rely on human judgement and value-based decisions. He urged accountants to become more multidisciplinary.
What should Malaysian finance leaders pay attention to, according to Liew?: He said finance leaders should not ignore geopolitics, supply chains, AI and climate risk, and that doing so would mean falling short of their duties.

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