KOTA KINABALU, Sept 25 — Barisan Nasional (BN) will resolve the issue of the Malaysian Indian Congress’ (MIC) possible departure from the coalition in an amicable manner, said BN secretary general Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir.
Zambry, who is also an Umno supreme council member, said it is BN‘s tradition to discuss matters collectively, stressing that consensus is vital.
“Problems are inevitable in politics, but in BN we don’t just take into account one party’s opinion, nor do we argue through the mainstream or social media.
“As a BN man, I never speak publicly to state my own or the coalition’s stand on such matters because we always raise issues at the supreme council meetings — that is the BN way,” he said.
The higher education minister was speaking when closing the Empowering Leadership Conference 2.0: Empowering the New Era of Leadership with Artificial Intelligence (AI) programme at a hotel here today.
The event was jointly organised by Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and the Higher Education Leadership Academy (Akept), with support from the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE).
Zambry also highlighted the recent launch of Scopus AI by MOHE across all 20 public universities, making Malaysia the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to adopt the advanced research intelligence tool nationally.
Scopus AI allows researchers to search literature in natural language, map research trends, identify high-impact journals and visualise collaborations — all powered by artificial intelligence.
He said the initiative exemplifies how AI can strengthen intellectual capital without compromising academic integrity or ethical standards.
“But the success of Scopus AI and all our AI endeavours depends on leadership that is digitally fluent, ethically grounded and socially conscious.
“We must invest in comprehensive AI literacy programmes, foster interdisciplinary research hubs, and establish robust governance frameworks that protect privacy and intellectual freedom,” he said.
Zambry also referred to the National AI Roadmap 2030, which outlines Malaysia’s vision of becoming an “AI Nation” to enhance quality of life, drive innovation and reform governance.
The roadmap aims to benefit the people, industry and government by positioning Malaysia as an inclusive, sustainable and competitive AI-driven nation, as well as a regional digital technology hub producing “Made by Malaysia” solutions.
“By 2028, AI is expected to contribute an additional 0.8 per cent to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generating between RM13 billion and RM20 billion annually. By 2030, this impact will rise to 1.2 per cent.
“At the same time, the AI industry will create 300,000 new jobs by 2028, rising to 500,000 by 2030,” he said.
He added that higher education institutions play a pivotal role in building globally competitive AI talent, driving research and fostering ecosystems aligned with national priorities.
“It is through strong digital and AI leadership in our universities and colleges that AI can fuel economic growth, uplift society, safeguard values and prepare future generations for a rapidly evolving world,” he said.
Also present was UMS Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Kasim Mansur. — The Borneo Post
