- The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, has called for urgent modernisation of Malaysia’s education system, stressing nationwide adoption of generative AI and stronger technical training.
- He warned that brain drain, institutional weaknesses and slow reforms threaten Malaysia’s competitiveness, urging bold policy action to strengthen talent retention and productivity.
- Speaking at the launch of a new book on Malaysia’s economic and social history, he highlighted the importance of historical insight in shaping effective, future-ready national policies.
His Royal Highness Sultan Nazrin Shah, the Sultan of Perak, has called for Malaysia to modernize its education system at all levels and make quality the order of the day, adding that the country can ill afford to fall behind in a rapidly changing global environment. Speaking at the launch of the book Chronicling Themes in the Economic and Social History of Malaysia, His Royal Highness gave emphasis that embracing generative artificial intelligence tools and strengthening technical education must be elevated to the status of national priorities if Malaysia were to remain competitive and future-ready.
Sultan Nazrin said technology-driven changes, especially in the field of artificial intelligence, would reshape economies worldwide by changing how industries function and create new expectations for workers. It is against this backdrop that Malaysia should ensure its education ecosystem ranging from primary schools to institutions of higher learning keeps apace with changes confronting the world through the adoption of new tools, redesigning learning methods, and building skills in line with the demands of industry.
He added that how well Malaysia navigates the difficulties that lie ahead, with the world becoming even more fragmented, geopolitically uncertain, and technologically dynamic, depends on the quality of the nation’s labour force.
He also warned that Malaysia must address longstanding structural issues such as the chronic brain drain that continues to undermine national capacity. Institutional reform is necessary, he said, to retain talent and attract Malaysians abroad to return. Such reforms, he said, should focus on creating meaningful opportunities, fostering an ecosystem rewarding innovation, with public institutions responsive, accountable, and efficient. Only then can the country safeguard its human capital, strengthening its development trajectory.
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The Sultan further emphasized that Malaysia's aspiration to attain fully developed and high-income status would necessitate bold policy decisions that hasten productivity growth and force deeper structural changes. These decisions must be informed by a profound understanding of the nation's experience.
The Sultan stressed that economic and social policies can only be designed in concert, and that a profound appreciation of Malaysia's past her colonial genesis, institutional development, and socioeconomic transformations constitutes the necessary framework within which effective and sustainable solutions can be elaborated. He added that history, culture, and institutional capabilities are all important factors that condition the success of all public policies.
Speaking at the launch of the book, Sultan Nazrin praised the contributors and the publisher for bringing together an exhaustive review of Malaysia’s economic and social progress. He said that the chapters trace the country’s passage from colonial to independent rule and discuss how prevailing conditions at any one time influenced the direction of growth. The compilation also tackles current contemporary challenges such as the middle-income trap, challenges within the education sector, and the essential roles played by women for overall national development. His Royal Highness expressed hope that the book would serve as a valuable resource for policymakers, scholars, and the public, helping to foster a more informed national conversation about Malaysia's future.
