SEMENYIH: Malaysia must strengthen its technological self-reliance as global geopolitical tensions grow increasingly unpredictable, says Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Chang Lih Kang (pic).
He said that the true value of such programmes lies in their long-term role in preparing the nation for an uncertain future.
“The global geopolitical landscape is becoming more unstable.
“We need to build technological sovereignty so that we are not constrained by any party in such conditions,” he said at the launch of National Science Week 2026 at the University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM) on Tuesday (April 14).
Chang said Malaysia must move beyond being a consumer of technology and instead nurture a generation of creators.
“We don’t just want to produce users of technology, we must produce creators of technology, so that we are not restricted when crises occur,” he said.
Citing recent global challenges, he pointed to the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing energy crisis as reminders that disruptions are inevitable.
“We hope that when crises occur, the entire country will remain safe and that essential supplies, such as vaccines and others, will be sufficient,” he said.
He warned that countries without their own technological capabilities risk being sidelined during emergencies, particularly when others control critical resources.
“If our own country does not develop such technologies but is instead owned by others, they may prioritise their own citizens, as seen with vaccines, for example,” he said.
The National Science Week 2026 is a national flagship programme aimed at strengthening Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) engagement and advancing the emergence of new technology, particularly artificial intelligence literacy across Malaysia.
Held in collaboration with UNM, the initiative serves as a key national platform to support Malaysia’s transition towards a high-income, innovation-driven economy, in line with the Science, Technology and Innovation National Policy 2021–2030.
