KOTA KINABALU: Local higher education institutions must embrace artificial intelligence (AI) while the country urgently enacts laws to safeguard digital access and security, said Kuamut assemblyman Datuk Masiung Banah (
pic) on Wednesday.
Masiung said Malaysia faces a shortfall of more than 10,000 local AI engineers, raising concerns over how universities can meet industry demand amid rapid technological change.
He said while some local universities have established AI faculties, institutions such as Kolej Teknologi Yayasan Sabah should integrate AI across training curricula so more Sabahan youths can master emerging technologies.
Masiung added that training centres, including Technical and Vocational Education and Training (Tvet) institutions, could introduce AI as a new academic module to widen access to skills needed for state development.
He said AI training must go beyond technical competence to include character, ethics and moral values, urging the Higher Education Ministry to coordinate AI-based development across public universities to ensure innovation advances alongside human values.
