PUTRAJAYA, November 8 – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced that the government will expedite the allocation of up to RM40 million to provide training for young civil servants in specific fields, including artificial intelligence (AI) and energy transition. Anwar emphasized the urgency of such training as Malaysia has been heavily reliant on external consultants, incurring substantial costs.
During a recent meeting with Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Zuki Ali and Director-General of Public Service (KPPA) Datuk Seri Zulkapli Mohamed, Anwar decided to allocate sufficient funds to facilitate specialized training and exposure for both young and experienced civil servants. This training may take place in private companies or leading universities, allowing civil servants to acquire expertise in critical fields. Anwar underscored the importance of investing in the training of civil servants rather than relying on expensive foreign consultants as a more sustainable and cost-effective approach.
He also proposed exploring new fields, including digital transformation, food technology, cybersecurity, military, and national border issues, to prepare Malaysia for the future. In line with these efforts, Anwar had previously announced the establishment of the AI Faculty at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) during the Budget 2024 presentation on October 13. The allocation of RM20 million for this initiative aims to boost AI exploration across various disciplines. The government’s commitment to training civil servants in specialized fields reflects Malaysia’s strategic focus on building a skilled and knowledgeable workforce to address evolving challenges and opportunities.
