SHAH ALAM: Malaysia must move beyond being merely a consumer of technology and develop the capacity to create, own and master it, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.

He said the country faced increasingly complex challenges that required strong scientific knowledge and evidence-based decision-making.

“We cannot remain forever as users of technology created by others. We must become a country that creates, owns and masters technology,” he said.

Anwar said this in his speech read by Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Chang Lih Kang at the closing of the National Science Challenge 2026 here today.

Anwar said challenges involving food security, energy supply, public health, water security, climate change and the responsible use of artificial intelligence required strong scientific knowledge and the courage to make decisions based on evidence.

He said every challenge also presented an opportunity to develop better solutions, with innovation often beginning with a simple question about why a problem occurred and how it could be addressed.

Anwar said science education should therefore go beyond memorising formulas and achieving good examination results.

“Science must shape the way we think — critical of facts, open to ideas, willing to experiment and honest when an experiment does not succeed,” he said.

He said this was in line with the theme of the National Science Challenge 2026, “Strengthening the Foundations of Science for a Resilient and Inclusive Future.”

“Resilience means having the knowledge and ability to face uncertainty.

“Inclusiveness means that every Malaysian child, regardless of where they were born, which school they attend or their family background, has the opportunity to build a future through science,” he said.

Anwar also stressed that the development of science and technology must be accompanied by human values and integrity.

“Creativity requires us to imagine something new. Confidence requires us to test it.

“Compassion requires us to keep asking who benefits, who may be left behind, and whether the solution we produce truly improves people’s lives,” he said.

Anwar said Malaysia needed more STEM talent to build a more advanced, competitive and resilient future.

He said ideas developed in schools should be given opportunities to grow into research, technology, innovation and businesses capable of addressing real problems faced by Malaysians and strengthening the country’s competitiveness globally.