More events needed to showcase IR 4.0: PKR
Published on: Tuesday, August 27, 2019
By: Leonard Alaza
PENAMPANG: Sabah needs to have more events and programmes that showcase new technologies in order to help the younger generation explore the unlimited opportunities brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, says State Finance Assistant Minister Kenny Chua.
He said the new industrial revolution is evolving technological trends that have fundamentally changed the life of millions of people around the world.
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“Within just a decade, we’ve seen so many changes in the ways we do things. Technology is connecting the digital world with the physical one, resulting in many exciting new innovations.
“This means there are potentially unlimited opportunities for our younger generation to explore and take advantage of. But we need to give them the space and one of them is through tech events and programmes,” he said after officiating Tech Carnival at ITCC, here, Sunday.
Chua, who is also Penampang PKR division chief cum Inanam Assemblyman, said tech events and programmes bring under one roof a whole new world of opportunities for the people, especially youths.
He pointed out that one of the opportunities that most of them would want to seek is to be able to have the capability to create one for themselves.
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“It could be an opportunity to find a new employment opportunity in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution or an opportunity to become a techpreneur. Whatever it is that they seek, it all comes down to ensuring a sustainable livelihood,” he said.
He noted that new technology has created many new jobs that call for new skills, some of which people cannot even imagine today.
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Chua said it has been the direction of the State Government to move into digitalisation in order to create as many economic opportunities as well as jobs for the people.
He noted a recent statement by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal that Sabah’s unemployment rate of 112,000 people recorded last year was the second highest in the country.
“Looking at these figures, I feel it is really important for us to focus on the need to create more space for our people to widely explore what’s in store for them in the digital world,” he said.
He also stressed that amid all the changes to people’s lives brought by new technologies, there has to be a new way of thinking and new sets of skills.
“Who would have thought in the past that one could be a millionaire by just playing computer games? But to achieve this, one has to be the best among the best. That means one has to have the character and attitude to be a winner,” he said.
He also noted that over a larger view, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is characterised by innovations such as artificial intelligence, automation and bio-technology, is likely to transform existing systems of production, management and governance.
“How we embrace and adapt to the coming technological changes will determine whether we meet our personal aspirations and ambitions,” he said.
Touching on the local economy, Chua said there have been positive signs of growth with Sabah proving able to attract more domestic and foreign investors to invest in the State which creates more jobs.
He pointed out that the setting up Malaysia’s biggest Proton 4S Centre by Fook Loi Corporation (Sabah) Sdn Bhd was testament of the State’s capability to attract top investors.
More than 20,000 people attended the three-day Tech Carnival, said the event’s organising chairman cum Penampang PKR Deputy Youth Chief Remysta Taylor.
He said the event served as a platform for local tech companies to showcase their products and services while at the same time promoted knowledge and information for the younger generation about new technologies.
Tech Carnival was jointly organised by Inanam State Assemblyman’s Office, ITCC Penampang, JCI Penampang and Harapan Kekal Enterprise.
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Other than tech exhibition, it also saw 82 teams of youngsters taking part in PUBG and Mobile Legends competition.