Sungai koyan: The national celebration of World Statistics Day 2025 was held in Sungai Koyan, to heighten public awareness on the importance of statistics for the country's development. Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said organising the celebration here this time provided an opportunity for the rural community to understand how data and statistics are used to plan facilities for health, education, and employment in national development.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, statistics are not mere numbers but form the foundation for policy decisions that directly impact the well-being of the people and the sustainability of rural development. Dr Mohd Uzir emphasized that facilities like hospitals and schools are planned based on birth data and educational needs recorded by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Malaysia excels globally, ranking number one in terms of the availability, openness, and accessibility of official data, due to digital initiatives such as OpenDOSM and interactive platforms developed by the department. This was highlighted by Dr Mohd Uzir following the official launch of National and World Statistics Day 2025 by Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail at Laman Sejahtera Jelai in Sungai Koyan.
Dr Mohd Uzir also mentioned DOSM's latest innovations, including the development of a life expectancy calculator and Minimum Acceptable Living Expenses (PAKW) tool. These tools allow users to assess the cost of living based on family profile, age, and location of residence, assisting employers and employees in understanding local living costs to support a balanced dialogue in determining wages and productivity.
Additionally, DOSM is developing a mobile application called TANYA DOSM to facilitate quick and interactive public access to official data, thereby strengthening a culture of data use among citizens. The choice of Sungai Koyan as the venue for the celebration aimed to primarily focus on the growing rural community.
The celebration, themed 'Statistics the Pulse of Life,' featured various programmes over three days, including a data-based application competition (Datathon), debates, and community engagement programmes with participation from university students and local residents. A Prime Minister's Forum on Islamic Affairs entitled "AI and Statistics: Benefits for the Ummah" was also broadcast live by RTM and JAKIM, serving as a platform for knowledge-sharing on the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in the collection and analysis of national data.