Ahmad Samsuri (third from left) and Chang (fourth from left) viewing exhibits at the carnival. – BERNAMApic
KUALA TERENGGANU: More than 5,000 people attended the East Coast Zone National Science Week (MSN) Carnival 2025, which is on from Tuesday to Thursday (June 24 to 26) at the Terengganu Science and Creativity Centre here.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang said MSN served as a key platform to spark interest, raise awareness and strengthen the country’s talent ecosystem in the field of science, technology and innovation (STI).
"In facing the wave of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), digitalisation and the green economy, Malaysia cannot remain merely as consumers. We need to produce creators and leaders.
"The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti) is committed to building local talent inclusively and continuously so that the country is not only prepared but also capable of leading future technological and economic transformations,” he said at the opening ceremony of the carnival on Tuesday.
Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar officiated the opening.
Chang said each activity at the MSN Carnival was aimed at ensuring that Malaysia would be able to lead future technological and economic transformation by involving various stakeholders, including school students, university students, teachers, researchers, industry players and the public.
He said the programme also complemented the existing school curriculum by incorporating hands-on and interactive co-curricular activities involving experts in STI.
The ministry will continue to strengthen the implementation of MSN through an inclusive approach so the public fully benefits from science and technology, he added.
This would be done through activities such as an interactive science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) exhibition, quizzes, workshops and a career fair.
"I believe the MSN Carnival can not only spark interest in science among the younger generation but also bridge the STI gap through the involvement of various stakeholders, including educational institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the community,” he said.
Ahmad Samsuri described the carnival as a key effort to raise public awareness of the importance of STI.
"The state government remains committed to supporting this initiative by involving state agencies and the private sector in implementing various STI-based programmes and activities on a large scale," he said.
Ahmad Samsuri said Terengganu’s selection as host for the East Coast Zone event was a recognition of the state’s significant achievements in applying science and technology through the implementation of the Terengganu Sejahtera Master Plan (Pitas) 2030 towards becoming a developed, blessed and prosperous state.
He said the state government’s commitment to STI was evident through the establishment of the state Science and Creativity Centre, the first science centre in the Eastern Zone of Peninsular Malaysia and the third in the country after the National Science Centre in Kuala Lumpur and the one in Kedah.
"In addition, programmes such as Rehlah Sains, a collaboration between the National Science Centre, Yayasan Terengganu and tahfiz institutions like Maahad Tahfiz Al-Quran Terengganu and Maahad Tahfiz Wal Tarbiyyah Darul Iman, were successfully organised in 2024, involving more than 1,700 students.
"This shows that Rehlah Sains, which aims to bring religious and tahfiz school students closer to STEM, is on the right track and is a timely initiative,” he said.
The organisation of the MSN Carnival is an initiative by Mosti, through the National Science Centre and strategic partners, namely the National Planetarium, the Academy of Sciences Malaysia and Petrosains Discovery Centre Sdn Bhd. – Bernama
