STEM vital for nation's development, says Defence minister

ALOR GAJAH: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education is crucial for national development, says the Defence minister.

Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan (pic) said that, for example, the Defence Ministry has an agency known as the Science & Technology Research Institute For Defence (STRIDE), which focuses on defence technology.

"We have over 100 scientists (at STRIDE) who can make bombs, test bombs, all kinds of things (related to defence technology). (However) this STRIDE is very quiet because it involves a lot of defence technology, so we do not want to make too much noise about it,” he said.

He told reporters this after officiating the closing ceremony of a seminar Promoting STEM to Empower the MADANI Community at Dewan Canselor, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) in Durian Tunggal on Monday (Sept 25).

"Developed countries do not import technology, but it is supported by the nation’s people... to become a country that creates, (we) must be strong in STEM.

"We must first unravel the existing problem, (and) see the issue... illness has a cause, death has a reason. From there, we diagnose the disease and give the right medicine,” he said.- Bernama