MALAYSIA recently introduced the central database integrated system, which is a game changer in data management. Subsequently, the Madani government launched another digital programme under the purview of the Economy Ministry.
This programme is aimed at narrowing the digital literacy gap among Malaysians nationwide. It is also in line with Malaysia’s vision of transforming the country into a digitally driven, high-income nation and a regional leader in digital economy.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim highlighted the objectives of artificial intelligence (AI) for the rakyat, which are to increase the awareness of AI and to encourage the appreciation of AI.
In addition, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli explained that this online self-learning programme aims to provide a basic understanding of AI as well as bring great technological benefits to individuals within the populace.
By grasping the rudiments of AI, individuals can unlock opportunities to enhance their technological expertise, a necessity in today’s digital landscape.
The online learning website is accessible in four languages: Malay, English, Mandarin and Tamil, which was built with the support of Intel Malaysia and MyDigital. This online self-learning programme is designed to promote public understanding and awareness of AI.
Two interactive and engaging learning modules, AI Aware (Kesedaran AI) and AI Appreciate (Hargai AI), are accessible to everyone, anytime and anywhere.
The AI Aware module introduces AI usage cases and addresses common misconceptions about AI. On the other hand, AI Appreciate delves into application features and the impacts on industries, catering to anyone seeking to enhance their understanding of AI.
During the launch, Rafizi emphasised the programme’s benefits for students, aiming to pique their interest and encourage them to pursue careers in the digital technology sector. He also announced the government’s ambitious target of enabling one million Malaysians to master AI skills within three years.
The Statistics Department’s report depicted the current annual figures of digital usage and accessibility in the country as lagging.
In 2018, the percentage of individuals using a computer by state, type of ICT skills and strata showed deficiencies in nine common computer-related skills such as copying or moving a file or folder, sending an email with attached files, using basic arithmetic formulas in a spreadsheet, connecting and installing a new device, transferring files between a computer and other devices, writing a computer programme using a specialised programming language and searching, downloading, installing and configuring software.
However, within four years, the 2022 percentage of individuals using computers by state, type of ICT skills and strata exhibited significant improvement.
In 2022, the five activities with the highest percentage of usage were copying or moving a file or folder (97%), using copy and paste tools to duplicate or move information within a document (96.3%), sending an email with attached files (89.4%), transferring files between computers and other mobile devices (83.1%) and connecting and installing new devices (79.2%).
The post-pandemic era of Covid-19 has brought about some positive impacts in the realm of digital technology. We can observe a significant increase in the percentage of individuals utilising computers with ICT skills in Malaysia, as reported in the latest Statistics Department’s ICT Use and Access by Individuals and Households Survey 2022.
The application of high-tech equipment and technology-enabled innovations in education can cultivate critical, creative and innovative thinkers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.
The AI for the rakyat programme comes at an opportune time to encourage youths and students at all levels of education to engage in shaping human talents for digital advancement.
The education system must prioritise lifelong learning, foster greater interest in STEM degrees and bolster ICT literacy skills such as computational mathematics, coding, educational robotics, peer-to-peer learning, AI and collaborative machine learning.
Therefore, introducing appropriate ICT skills and digital literacies will give the rakyat better opportunities. Malaysia needs to realise the economic and potential benefits stemming from the emergence of a digital economy to help Malaysia achieve sustainable growth and greater inclusivity.
The writer is a research fellow at the Ungku Aziz Centre for Development Studies at Universiti Malaya. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
