By Amar Shah Mohsen
SHAH ALAM, Jan 18 — Selangor must take the lead in the race for artificial intelligence (AI) supremacy, with the technology field to be one of the state’s primary focuses in the near term, Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari said today.
Speaking at the Selangor Digital School (SDS) AI Nusantara programme graduation ceremony, Amirudin said it is vital that Malaysia’s most developed state be at the forefront of the AI competition to ensure the country becomes the leader in the field in Southeast Asia.
“It is no mean feat, but I don’t see why we should not aim higher,” he said in his keynote address at DoubleTree by Hilton Shah Alam i-City, here, today.
Amirudin noted that through the tabling of the First Selangor Plan in 2022, the state government has made technology and digital economy as one of the key pillars in elevating Selangor’s position as the gateway to Asean.
He said efforts like the AI Nusantara programme will help the state achieve this target, particularly through the provision of tailor-made training to enable students with diverse backgrounds to better grasp, engage, and benefit from AI advancements.
“AI Nusantara will also address inequality in access to AI education and narrow the gap between the haves and have nots.
“Most importantly, I have made it clear to the team here that the module and curriculum provided through AI Nusantara must match with the industrial needs of today and the immediate future.”
He also commended SDS and the Selangor Information Technology and Digital Economy Corporation (Sidec) for respectively identifying strategic partners to develop contemporary modules for youths in Selangor and collaborating with the private sector and start-ups to identify potential unicorns and broaden the use of technology in daily lives.
“I must stress in no uncertain terms that in Selangor’s immediate future, AI will be one of our core focuses,” he said.
Amirudin added that the development of a Selangor Centre for AI, which was announced during the tabling of the 2024 Selangor Budget on November 10 last year, will be done in-house by state civil servants instead of subcontracting to third parties.
However, he said this does mean the state will abandon the private sector, particularly small and medium enterprises.
“It is through this Centre for AI, which will be developed by the Selangor Technical Development Centre (STDC) in collaboration with other government agencies, that we aim to provide long-term benefit to the private sector.
"This will be done by developing a more informed and capable workforce, equipped to take up the jobs your investments will provide.
“And I believe today’s programme is a step in the right direction, as AI Nusantara is primed to develop deeper connections with you in the private sector to better integrate AI in your daily operations,” he said.
AI Nusantara is a comprehensive one-month training and placement initiative to upskill students in the field of AI.
