Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pushes for digital and AI policies to extend beyond cities to rural and remote communities for equitable access.
KUDAT: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants the country’s digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) policy not only to be focused on Kuala Lumpur, major universities or research institutions, but rather to reach the people at the grassroots level.
He said the new technology policy must be expanded to every area and district to ensure justice for all citizens, especially the poor and communities in the interior, island and rural areas.
“When we made this the national policy, two and a half years ago, my concern was that the policy stayed (concentrated) in Kuala Lumpur, in the major universities, important research bodies, but did not reach the grassroots.
“So there is a gap between the educated, the urban rich, and the poor especially in the interior and remote areas on islands and mountains throughout Sabah,” he said when speaking at the Prime Minister’s Reception with the Local Community of Pulau Banggi here today.
Also present were Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam representing Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah and Sarawak) Datuk Mustapha Sakmud, and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Zulkifli Hasan.
Also present were the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, Sabah State Secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong and Banggi assemblyman Datuk Mohammad Mohamarin.
Anwar said the MADANI Government would continue to pay attention to ensuring that digital development does not widen the gap between urban and rural areas, but rather becomes a catalyst for the improvement of knowledge, skills and new opportunities for the people.
According to him, the success of the National Information Dissemination Centre (NADI) on Pulau Banggi here, which was crowned the champion in the capacity building category at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) organised by the International Telecommunication Union in Geneva last year, proves that communities in remote island areas are also capable of excelling in the digital field when given the appropriate space, facilities and support.
He said that although Pulau Banggi is far from the city centre and faces various constraints in facilities, the area still managed to make Malaysia famous internationally.
The Prime Minister said that this success was also one of the factors that made him want to go down to Pulau Banggi himself to see the achievements of the community and the management of NADI on the island.
“NADI on Pulau Banggi is mentioned among the successful NADIs in our country. On Pulau Banggi, a remote island, there are not many experts, but it is still able to make this place as a leading centre. I congratulate not only the NADI management but all the people of Pulau Banggi,” he said.
He said the success of Pulau Banggi NADI should be a catalyst for communities in remote areas to continue building capabilities in the digital field, thus proving that technological development can be utilised by all levels of people.
