Science and Technology Development in Malaysia

Running Head: PSYCHOLOGY 1
Malay Science and Technology
Author's Name
Institutional Affiliation

PSYCHOLOGY 2
Introduction
The progress of any nation is reliant on the science and technology progress and
development. The scientific and technological innovations play a vital role in the future progress
of a country and transform its economic sectors. Malaysia is a fast merging Asian economy that
reflects the potential to develop new technologies for pursuing technology-based economic
growth.
World Economic Forum projects that the new jobs of the future would be founded on
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) (New Straits Times, 2018). Datuk
Tangau, the Science, Technology and Innovation Minister of Malaysia stated at the 20th
Malaysia Strategic Outlook Conference, “STI development in the coming 30 years is a must to
fulfill not only our objectives of becoming an advanced nation but a sustainable one at that”
(New Straits Times, 2018).
The Malaysian government does not want the country to lag in global development and is
already piloting futuristic technologies like new genetic technologies, nanotechnology
automation, and robotics. Technology and Innovation Minister of Malaysia believes that
Malaysia will have an advanced capacity for Science, Technology, and Innovation by 2050
(AriffAzizan, 2013). The country is likely to develop expertise in areas of green technology,
digital technology, biotechnology, neurotechnology, and nanotechnology. Application of green
technology and digital technology will contribute proactively and make the country self-
sustaining. Globalization and technological changes place pressures on a country to acquire
economic-based information for economic endurance. The New National Agenda in Malaysia is
on a mission to achieve vision 2020 for nation's human capital development with lifelong

PSYCHOLOGY 3
learning (Buntat, Puteh, Azeman, Nasir, Iahad, & Aziz, 2013). The country is taking initiatives
like Digital Free Trade Zone, STEM skills and Malaysia’s Vision 2020.
Digital Free Trade Zone (DFTZ) can explore lucrative foreign markets to increase the
capabilities and competitiveness of the nation (New Straits Times, 2018). DFTZ encourages
businesses to think digital’ and strengthen Malaysia’s position. As STEM skills need to develop
from a very young and early age, Malaysia’s education blueprint is all set to follow a STEM
Action Plan that is finalized by the government. The Malaysian government has allocated RM25
million for the National STEM Learning Centre to coach and prepare science teachers (New
Straits Times, 2018). Malaysia’s Vision 2020 emphasizes on building technology capabilities
and move towards a economy based on knowledge by the year 2020 (AriffAzizan, 2013). The
9th and 10th Malaysia plans allocate substantial funds for R&D in both hard and soft sciences
(Lewison, Kumar, Wong, Roe, and Webber, 2016).
As stated by AriffAzizan (2013), Malaysian faces particular challenges in the
development of human capital as it is essential to have higher cognitive skills for science and
technology education. The skilled human capital in Malaysia is still not satisfactory to allow
technological progress and development. Networking Technological change is not an easy
process as systematic cooperation, and strong interaction is needed between government,
university, and industry. Brain drain has resulted in Malaysian scientists and engineer’s
migration to other countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Singapore. It is
essential to raise awareness regarding science and technology among the public to increase
human capital and stop the brain drain.
In order to create competitiveness in the era of globalization, it is essential to develop a
national science policy for the indigenization of technology. There is a need to nurture