Nancy (seated, centre) in a group photo with the participants of the TN50 dialogue and officials from IPG Batu Lintang Campus.
KUCHING: Today’s leaders are faced with challenges in tandem with the rise of advanced technology and social media.
In stating this, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri noted the impact of ethnic prejudice contained on social media has on national unity.
“People should not spread negative or extreme things online, which could lead to misunderstanding,” she advised those attending the National Transformation 2050 (TN50) dialogue at Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce Auditorium of Teachers Education Institute (IPG) Batu Lintang Campus here yesterday.
The programme highlighted the need for strong leadership in the country – one moving away from politics based on race, ethnicity and religion.
On this, Nancy pointed at Sarawak as the shining example of ‘unity amidst diversity’ – a powerful value that had turned the state into a desirable place to live in.
She pointed out that many people expressed their eagerness to live and work in Sarawak.
“A lot of times when I return to Peninsular Malaysia, people would ask me how I could bring Sarawak and its values to the peninsula.
“To this, I say unity comes from within – it is naturally in us (Sarawakians); we have been like this since beginning of time.
“Harmonisation lies in what you see. Even Tok Nan (fifth chief minister, the late Pehin Sri Adenan Satem) had said everyone could live in this big land,” she said.
The dialogue, which was moderated by IPG Batu Lintang Campus Social Science Department lecturer Awang Hapeni Awang Onget, also discussed education.
On one aspect, Nancy believed that a strong sense of unity must be inculcated in students, with a rationale that schools and education, as a whole, play key roles in shaping an individual’s personality and character.
On the aspiration for highly-focused education vision like those in Singapore and Finland, Nancy noted the need to develop a long-term solid foundation and direction towards this.
“As to how far politics in our country can influence the education sector, politics come in to resolve situations that we normally wouldn’t want to interfere such as the case of unregistered ‘tahfiz’ (Islamic religious schools).”
A couple of participants expressed their views about those in charge of the education sector must be from the same background – they should know everything and anything about education and its needs; as well as the need to chart a new education plan to allow teachers and trainees to prepare, adapt-and-adopt and move forward, away from the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025, instead of waiting (to do this) in 2050.
“The existing blueprint is still relevant but yes, we definitely need a plan that would prepare us for the future. By the time we reach 2050, maybe 50 per cent of the jobs would be automated and computerised.
“The school modules need to be transformed to meet the expectations of both today and the future,” Nancy said.
On the response to the dialogue, the parliamentarian that the participants pointed out and shared many good aspirations.
In this regard, she remarked: “Whatever that has been shared here, I hope that it would not take until 2050 to materialise. Most importantly, through this forum, we want to foster and cultivate a thinking culture among the people
“No one knows what will happen in 2050, but you must think about what you want your country to become, what we need for the future. Your thoughts are the very thing that will define our future, the country and in particular, our future generation.”
It is learnt that the next TN50 dialogue is expected to take place at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) soon.
The nationwide dialogue programme is seen as a good platform for people to voice their aspirations and desires aimed at setting the national development agenda and trajectory for the 30 years post-2020.
It also serves as a new roadmap to propel Malaysia into becoming among the top 20 nations in the world.
Commercial Vehicles Licensing Board (LPKP) Sarawak director Mohamad Khairul Hafis Juni, as well as IPG Batu Lintang Campus director Jemiran Salam and his deputy Anis Alisya Abdullah were also present.