Malaysia Must Rise As A Hub Of Thinkers, Producer Of Ideas And Innovation - Ahmad Zahid
PUTRAJAYA, Nov 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysia, at the heart of ASEAN, must rise as a hub of thinkers that is rooted in values, rich in diversity and confident in moderation, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said Malaysia’s geographic and cultural position as a meeting point between east and west gives it the moral and intellectual responsibility to lead the region in ideas, innovation and ethical development.
Delivering his keynote address at the Festival of Ideas (FOI) Putrajaya 2025 today, Ahmad Zahid said Malaysia must now shift from being a consumer of ideas to becoming a producer of knowledge and innovation for the region.
He urged that the FOI, themed “MADANI: Shaping the Future, Realising Ideas,” should evolve beyond a yearly event into a national wave of ideas that nurtures continuous creativity and collaboration among schools, universities, and village communities.
“Let this festival spark that ecosystem, where students debate, researchers collaborate, and citizens contribute, to solving real problems. From lecture halls to the rural villages, let Malaysia become a nation that thinks, questions and creates together,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid said a thinking nation built on moral strength and intellectual courage would be key to Malaysia’s progress as it faces global challenges driven by technology and information.
As the chairman of the National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council, Ahmad Zahid said the government had approved the establishment of a National TVET Commission to coordinate 1,398 institutions nationwide and ensure training programmes meet industry needs.
He said the move is part of Malaysia’s effort to cultivate a culture of creativity, technical mastery and lifelong learning, in line with its goal of producing a future-ready workforce.
The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that TVET should no longer be seen as a second option, but as a main pathway in the national education ecosystem.
“Who says TVET graduates cannot excel? As the ASEAN secretary-general said, TVET will become the number one choice in our education system,” he said.
Expressing pride, he cited the example of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a global leader with a TVET background.
“This proves that TVET graduates can also become politicians and national leaders. I believe one day, someone here may even become the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Insya-Allah,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid said that skills must become the new currency of the nation, not paper qualifications, but real value that elevates Malaysia on the global stage.
He also said Malaysia is building entire ecosystems of innovation, from the Kulim Hi-Tech Park to university research zones to connect local knowledge with global frontiers.
“Our goal is not to mimic Silicon Valley, but to craft a Malaysian model where trust and compassion guide technology and where climate action draws strength from local wisdom,” he added.
Ahmad Zahid said Malaysia’s journey toward becoming a nation of knowledge is inspired by the vision of past leaders such as Tunku Abdul Rahman, who dreamed of intellectual freedom and Tun Hussein Onn, who emphasised education and discipline as the nation's foundation.
He expressed hope that Malaysia will emerge as a baldatun tayyibatun, a good and enlightened nation that contributes to ASEAN’s unity through ideas and moral leadership.
Ahmad Zahid has also assured the Higher Education Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, that the government would allocate additional funds to support next year’s FOI, noting that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is a strong supporter of the event and has designated it as an annual programme.
The FOI Putrajaya 2025, which runs from today until Nov 8, is expected to attract nearly 500,000 in-person visitors and around two million participants, including 1.5 million virtual attendees from around the world.
-- BERNAMA
