CelcomDigi unveils AI chatbot to help preserve native Bornean languages

As Pesta Kaamatan ('Harvest Festival') and Hari Gawai ('Gawai Day') approach, CelcomDigi is urging Malaysians to #SemaikanJalinan or rather, to reconnect with their cultural roots and heritage. The telco’s latest effort honours these festivities with Maya, an AI-powered chatbot designed to revive and teach native Bornean languages such as Iban and Dusun.

Developed with Replyr.ai, in partnership with the One Team (Naga DDB Tribal, M&C Saatchi), Maya acts as a digital companion that lets users learn and interact with ancestral languages through a tech-driven experience. Serving more than 20 million Malaysians, CelcomDigi says technology can deepen ties to culture and empower communities to preserve their unique heritage.

This message is brought to life in CelcomDigi’s festive film, "Maya", which follows a young Iban girl’s journey across a whimsical Borneo as she seeks to save her people’s fading native dialects. Inspired by her grandfather’s warning that these languages are disappearing, she sets out to ensure their survival through the voices of today’s youth.

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In the five-minute long video, Maya catches various dialects, poems and songs in glass jars. She later releases them into the air and across Borneo after remembering her grandfather's warnings. She is later greeted by various indigenous groups who are all decked out in traditional wear. 

“Language is more than communication. It is central to our culture, shaping who we are and keeping us connected to our roots. Realising that many of these languages may soon disappear as younger generations embrace more common languages, we were inspired to create Maya, the chatbot. It is our way of helping these beautiful languages thrive, so they can be learned and spoken by future generations," said Chan May Ling, head of brand and marketing services at CelcomDigi. 

"Our intention was to use language as a way to tell the deeper story of Sabah and Sarawak’s cultural wealth, beyond what is commonly seen or heard. Through this project, launched during Gawai and Kaamatan, we want to play a role in preserving these languages that carry the voices, songs and stories so they don’t get lost in time," said Alvin Teoh, chief creative officer of the One Team.

Meanwhile, the founder of Replyr.ai, Dylan Tan said that AI can be more than just a tool, it can be a vessel for connection, and be in service of cultural preservation and community. "As people speak to Maya in their own words and expressions, she remembers them and uses the words in future conversations. We’re not just preserving vocabulary, we’re carrying forward identity, memory, and the living rhythm of multiple cultures," said Tan. 

The brand film for Maya was also created in collaboration with production house Project Room. In a statement shared with A+M, the film's Sarawakian director Dexter Anthony said "Beyond the stereotypes, there are deep wells of language, oral tradition, and artistry. We wove real poems and songs from the community into the fabric of the film, not as embellishment, but as the soul of the story itself."

Additionally, executive producer of the film, Fabian Joseph said that he took on the film in efforts to contribute towards the underrepresentation of East Malaysian cultures in the national narrative. "Maya is more than a film. It’s a cultural gesture. A call to listen, honour, and preserve. If this project can spark even one more person to learn, to ask, to care, then we’ve done something truly worthwhile," he added. 

To extend the initiative offline, CelcomDigi partnered with Kupi Kupi FM for "Misi kereta api" ('Train mission').

"Misi kereta api" is a week-long community engagement travelling by train from Kota Kinabalu to Beaufort in Sabah, and Kuching to Durin and a traditional longhouse in Sarawak. The teams connected with festivalgoers through games and storytelling, learning local languages and culture while celebrating the spirit of #SemaikanJalinan.

CelcomDigi’s festive films have long spotlighted East Malaysia’s rich cultural heritage, blending tradition with technology. This initiative aligns with the telco’s broader ambition to connect Malaysians not only through networks but shared identity and cultural continuity. 

Earlier in January this year, the telco inspired Malaysians to reconnect with their roots with their festive film "Bejalai: Journey of inspiration". Drawing inspiration from the traditional Iban custom of Bejalai, the film explores the timeless rite of passes where Iban men set out on journeys to seek wisdom, wealth, or fame, before returning to their communities to inspire others. 

The film features Malaysia’s Olympic medalist, Watson Nyambek, known as The Flying Dayak, who shares his own remarkable journey of Bejalai, one that led him to win multiple Olympic medals.

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