Harris Zainul was quoted by the South China Morning Post, 25 April 2025
Image fuels speculation about more illegal planters in Pahang’s forests, while analysts also warn of lack of safeguards against manipulated content
by Hadi Azmi
An image of a durian farm conjured up by artificial intelligence (AI) has heightened tensions over alleged rampant illegal plantations of the valuable fruit in Malaysia’s Pahang state, opening up debate on the power of generative AI to cause real-world problems.
A long-running dispute over control of the state’s lucrative durian trade has bubbled over in recent weeks, with allegations of orchards encroaching on government land and farmers attempting to block efforts to fell their trees.
The trespass claims prompted state ruler Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah to say that his “blood boils” at the alleged encroachment.
On Tuesday, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said it had questioned a man who uploaded an AI image of durian fruit growing on a tree surrounded by deep forest and a clearing with a caption suggesting it was taken at a yet-to-be-discovered “hidden spot”.
“The content is believed to have been generated using artificial intelligence, and as a result, various speculations and negative perceptions have arisen among the public regarding illegal planters in the Raub district, Pahang,” the MCMC said.
The image, posted in the Prompters Malaya Facebook group – a community dedicated to generative AI – was later shared outside the group without context, fuelling public belief that additional illegal farms were hidden in the area’s dense forests.
In the past week alone, authorities in Raub, a key durian-growing district, have felled over 1,000 trees – many of them of the prized Musang King variety – claiming the farms were illegally established on state land.
The dispute spread online, and a line was drawn between supporters of the state action and those defending the farmers’ rights.
Malaysia has been actively promoting AI adoption under initiatives such as “AI for the People”, launched in 2024 by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim as part of a broader push to shift the economy from hydrocarbons to advanced technology.
But analysts warn the country lacks safeguards to prevent abuse or education on how to detect manipulated content, in a country where sensitivities can be razor-thin.
Harris Zainul, an analyst at Institute of Strategic International Studies Malaysia, said the public must be made aware that AI-generated images could now appear highly realistic and should be approached with caution.
“This is especially true for manipulated videos, as it challenges the old notion that ‘seeing is believing’,” Harris told This Week in Asia.
Scammers across Facebook and Instagram have exploited generative AI to create fake images – including fabricated arrests of Malaysia’s king, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, and local celebrities – to drive users to phishing sites.
Police have also reported a dangerous rise in sexual content made by AI.
Earlier this month, police arrested a 16-year-old secondary school student suspected of selling AI-generated pornographic images depicting classmates and alumni without their knowledge or consent.
The school confirmed receiving complaints about the images of its students, saying they had caused serious harm to the victims. “We strictly prohibit the misuse of technology and the internet to harm others,” it said in a statement.
Communications expert Benjamin Loh of Monash University Malaysia said while similar manipulation was previously possible with tools such as Photoshop, AI had made it “far more accessible”.
“The government can certainly do more to raise awareness about AI-driven disinformation,” Loh said. “But considering they are still heavily invested in promoting AI, I’m doubtful of their commitment to regulating it.”
This article was first appeared on the South China Morning Post, 25 April 2025
