KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — Five of the nine technology drivers identified under the National Technology Sovereignty Framework (NTSF) have been deemed critical to national sovereignty and possess strong commercial potential.
The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (MOSTI) said the five drivers are artificial intelligence (AI)-powered systems, sensor technologies, including semiconductors, cybersecurity and encryption, big data analytics, and 5G/6G.
“These technology drivers will serve as the primary focus for investment and the development of local capabilities by 2030,” the ministry said in a written reply published on the Parliament website.
MOSTI was responding to a question from Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar (PN-Kemaman) on the strategic technologies Malaysia aims to target to strengthen its capacity to develop and master homegrown technologies by 2030, as well as measures to prevent the country from merely becoming a consumer or manufacturer of foreign-owned technology.
The other four technology drivers are blockchain, advanced 3D printing, neurotechnology and biotechnology.
MOSTI said biotechnology is considered a critical field requiring initial public-sector investment as its potential market returns are currently low.
The ministry said all nine technology drivers have the potential to generate transformative impacts across various sectors, strengthen national resilience and create new economic opportunities.
However, the list will be continuously updated through a structured technology foresight process, taking into account factors such as global technology projections, scientific research trajectories, patent filing rates, industry roadmaps, environmental scanning studies, consultations with subject matter experts and current national development priorities.
The technology drivers will also be mapped to five national focus areas — electrical and electronics, advanced materials, healthcare and life sciences, renewable energy, and agriculture and food — to ensure strategic technologies are translated into applications in critical sectors such as food security, energy, health and critical minerals.
“This list is dynamic and will be periodically re-evaluated, including for future technologies such as quantum computing and fusion energy,” the ministry said.
On efforts to ensure Malaysia does not merely become a consumer or manufacturer of foreign technologies, MOSTI said strengthening local capabilities to develop and adapt AI technology was a key priority.
“Foresight reports indicate that local capacity to adapt AI models to the Malay language, as well as to local sectoral contexts and terminology, can reduce reliance on generic foreign solutions,” it said.
The ministry said the country’s data ecosystem and computing infrastructure also needed to be strengthened, while AI talent development must progress beyond the use of AI applications to include capabilities in model development, data management, cloud-based solutions, and AI security and governance.
It said such capacity building must be supported by AI governance, cybersecurity and trusted data usage to ensure technology is deployed safely, ethically and responsibly.
