Master new technologies for new economy, PM Lee urges Malay Singaporeans
Mr Abdul Halim Ali Akbar earned praise from PM Lee Hsien Loong at the National Day Rally for building drones that can receive flight instructions from QR codes. Photo: MCI
SINGAPORE — With technology being a game changer in today’s economy, it is increasingly important for Malay Singaporeans to master technology and participate fully in the new economy, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Kicking off the National Day Rally on Sunday (Aug 21) with his speech, Mr Lee said technology is shaking up the scene by replacing jobs, employing fewer workers and more robots. But it is also creating new opportunities, he said, noting even small businesses selling Hari Raya kueh are now operating online.
Beyond getting more engineers, programmers, scientists, game designers, general workers would also need to be able to operate computerised machines.
Already, some Malay youths are tapping these opportunities, among them Mr Muhammad Ariff Awari, who studied electrical engineering at ITE, and then at Nanyang Polytechnic. He built a mobile robot that serves food to customers and collects trays, and it later won the silver medal in this year’s WorldSkills Singapore National Competition.
Another youth, Mr Abdul Halim Ali Akbar, is a research intern at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, and is involved in building drones that can receive navigational instructions from QR codes. A graduate of Madrasah Irsyad Zuhri and Singapore Polytechnic, he received a Masters in Aeronautical Engineering from Imperial College, London, and will be going on to do his PhD soon.
Said Mr Lee: “This is the Government’s commitment to give every child a good start so as to produce more Ariffs and Halims.”
For those in non-tech industries, Mr Lee said there were also opportunities to upgrade with SkillsFuture, and encouraged more Malay workers to “seize the opportunities to upgrade”.
For instance, ITE graduate Noraishikin Ismail started off as a programme coordinator at Singapore After-Care Association (SACA), but became compelled to do social work.
After taking up a Higher Diploma in Social Service, she later won a SkillsFuture Study Award and is now pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work.
Self-help group Mendaki, noted Mr Lee, has formed a Future Ready unit to promote SkillsFuture to the community, and its “Future Ready Conversation Series” has engaged more than 400 people.
For young professionals and workers, Mendaki Sense, the training and continuing education arm of Mendaki, also organises career fairs and “Sembang Petang” dialogues to explain opportunities offered by SkillsFuture.
Said Mr Lee: “If more Malays participate and succeed in the new economy, the stronger will be our multi-racial cohesion, and we will be better prepared to overcome all challenges.”
Mr Lee also touched on the review of certain aspects of the Elected Presidency, in particular the need to ensure a minority President is elected from time to time.
“Every Singaporean must feel that someone of his race can become the President, and does become President, from time to time,” he said.
He cited a New Year’s message delivered by Singapore’s first President Yusof Ishak in 1968.
Then, Dr Yusof had said: “We in Singapore should not fall into the tragic error of viewing the variety of language, religion, culture and race as a stumbling block to progress and prosperity.
“On the contrary, if we approach these differences with goodwill, tolerance and healthy curiosity this rich variety will ultimately turn out to be our salvation. It is this tolerance for variety, among other things, which today makes Singapore the dynamic and progressive city it is.”
Said Mr Lee: “We have done well because we heeded Encik Yusof’s words.”
