Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 21.1.2027. Australian Earth Observation and artificial intelligence company LatConnect 60 (LC60) will host the Water and Soil Intelligence Initiative Malaysia (WASIIM 2026) on 27 January 2026 at Sofitel, Kuala Lumpur, organised by its wholly owned Malaysian subsidiary, LatConnect 60 (Malaysia). The closed technical forum will bring together selected Malaysian government agencies, Government Linked Companies (GLCs), and strategic organisations involved in agriculture, water management, climate resilience, disaster preparedness, and related national priorities.
WASIIM 2026 is endorsed by the Invest and Trade Western Australia (ITWA) office in Kuala Lumpur, as well as the National AI Office (NAIO) under the Ministry of Digital, reflecting both national and cross-border interests in advancing the responsible and practical adoption of artificial intelligence across priority sectors for mutual benefit of Malaysia and Australia.
In line with Malaysia’s AI Nation 2030 aspirations, NAIO views WASIIM 2026 as a national-level, applied artificial intelligence initiative that supports the development of trusted, decision-grade intelligence for priority sectors. By bringing together government agencies, GLCs, and industry partners, the initiative goes beyond technology demonstration to strengthen institutional capability, cross-agency collaboration, and AI readiness across the national ecosystem. Through practical use cases in agriculture, water management, and climate resilience, WASIIM contributes to building AI-literate organisations and talent, while reinforcing Malaysia’s commitment to data security, sovereignty, and long-term national ownership of strategic data assets.
At the centre of WASIIM is soil moisture intelligence, a critical yet often under utilised environmental variable that directly influences irrigation efficiency, crop productivity, drought and flood risk assessment, catchment management, and long term food and water security. Soil moisture is internationally recognised as an Essential Climate Variable, underpinning both agricultural performance and hydrological stability.
Recent advances in satellite Earth Observation and artificial intelligence now enable daily, Malaysia wide soil moisture intelligence as well as related weather-based insights, providing consistent and objective insight into how water is retained and used by the land. Unlike rainfall data alone, soil moisture offers a more accurate representation of actual field conditions. This enables earlier detection of water stress, more precise irrigation planning, and improved anticipation of extreme weather impacts.
Hosted by LC60, WASIIM 2026 will highlight how national scale soil moisture and weather data can support a wide range of public sector and GLC use cases, including:
- Optimising irrigation scheduling and water allocation
- Enhancing productivity and resilience in paddy and other essential crops.
- Strengthening drought and flood early warning systems
- Supporting integrated catchment and water resource management
- Informing long term climate resilience and food security planning
The programme will also demonstrate how artificial intelligence and machine learning are embedded across the full value chain, from upstream satellite data acquisition and analytics, through to downstream decision support tools. As part of this, LC60 will present an illustrative collaboration with local agri digital partner Rakan Tani, showing how national intelligence layers can be translated into farmer facing guidance through AI enabled chatbot technologies.
WASIIM 2026 is delivered within the broader context of Australia–Malaysia collaboration, with LC60 supported by the Government of Western Australia. The initiative prioritises knowledge transfer and institutional capacity building, while fully respecting Malaysia’s data security and data sovereignty requirements. Malaysia specific datasets are logically ring fenced, access controlled, and governed to ensure national ownership and control at all times.
The closed door format reflects the sensitivity of the data, infrastructure considerations, and early stage operational discussions involved, allowing candid and constructive technical dialogue among participating organisations.
WASIIM 2026 is positioned as a foundational national initiative, intended to build shared understanding, strengthen coordination across agencies and GLCs, and establish pathways for future collaboration in applied artificial intelligence, subject to institutional discretion.
About the National AI Office (NAIO)
The National AI Office (NAIO) is the central coordinator focused on propelling Malaysia’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) initiatives forward. Established on 12 December, 2024, under the Ministry of Digital, NAIO aims to position Malaysia as a frontrunner in the regional AI landscape. Our mission encompasses driving comprehensive strategic planning, nurturing innovation, and developing a robust talent pipeline. We are also committed to empowering the adoption of reliable and transformative AI solutions across vital sectors of the economy.
Central to our efforts is the development of the AI Nation 2030, a groundbreaking National AI Action Plan designed to outline Malaysia’s key priorities, goals, and
strategies for harnessing AI’s potential to enhance societal well-being and economic growth.
For more information about NAIO, please visit ai.gov.my or connect with us on social media: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube @NAIOMalaysia.
About LatConnect 60 (LC60)
LatConnect 60 is an Australian Earth Observation and artificial intelligence company headquartered in Perth, Western Australia with a wholly owned subsidiary office in Kuala Lumpur that has significant in-Malaysia operational presence. LC60 provides satellite driven intelligence to support government, GLC, and institutional decision making across agriculture, water, climate resilience, and environmental monitoring, and is the host of the Water and Soil Intelligence Initiative Malaysia (WASIIM 2026).
