Kuala lumpur: Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah has called for Malaysia to modernise and raise the quality of education at every level, including through the adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools. His Royal Highness emphasized the importance of strengthening technical education to ensure graduates' skills align with industry needs.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Sultan Nazrin highlighted that modernising education by leveraging generative AI tools should be a priority at all levels. He noted that the quality of the labour force will be critical in adapting to future challenges and suggested that institutional adjustments are necessary to address and reverse the chronic brain drain in the country.
The Perak ruler stated that Malaysia's aspiration to become a fully developed and high-income nation requires adapting to a global environment characterized by economic fragmentation, rising populism, and new opportunities in services and productivity growth. He stressed the importance of making bold domestic policy choices to accelerate productivity growth and promote structural shifts to take advantage of opportunities in turbulent times.
Sultan Nazrin also recalled the establishment of the Economic History of Malaysia (EHM) Project at Universiti Malaya 25 years ago, which aimed to compile historical economic accounts of Malaya's GDP in the early 20th century. The project expanded its outreach in 2016 through a dedicated website with a large economic and population database and access to digitally archived British Colonial Office documents.
The EHM website hosts articles by eminent scholars on the economic and social history of Malaysia, with more than 60 articles uploaded so far. From these, 35 were selected for a new book covering themes of economic development, social development, and the evolution of states and cities. Sultan Nazrin emphasized that understanding a nation's economic and social history is essential in shaping effective policies.
His Royal Highness also noted that the book traces Malaysia's transformation from colonial rule to independence, examining key episodes such as British governance of the tin and rubber sectors, the Japanese occupation, the Emergency, the New Economic Policy, and Malaysia's structural shift from agriculture to modern industries and services. The chapters address contemporary issues like the middle-income trap, education challenges, women's contributions to development, Kuala Lumpur's rise as a major Asian city, and Penang's progress as a global electrical and electronics hub.
Sultan Nazrin expressed appreciation to the authors and publisher, hoping readers would enjoy the book as much as he enjoyed compiling it.