By: Professor Dato' Dr. Ahmad Ibrahim, Tan Sri Omar Centre for STI Policy, UCSI University, Malaysia
M ALAYSIA can be a nation of endless possibilities. We do face problems from time to time, which is normal. In dealing with problems, the best we can do is to question what we should strive for. And, we should be proud that, despite the ups and downs, we have resolved our problems pretty well. As the saying goes, where there is a problem, there is an opportunity. We only need to know where the opportunities lie in building a great nation. We should be prepared to grab those opportunities and turn them to our advantage. The truth is, nothing is impossible if we really put our mind to it. Take career development, for example. I have just watched a video produced by a journalist from neighbouring Indonesia. The video talks about how a son of a rubber tapper in Malaysia has risen to become the prime minister of the nation. The video refers to Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
We all know that if your family taps rubber, the entire family would be doing the trade. But I also know of many Malaysians who rose from rubber-tapping beginnings to assume leadership positions in the country. The late Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Arshad, my ex-teacher, was also the son of a rubber tapper. He rose to become the director-general of education. I am sure there are many more examples. Education, of course, made it all possible. That is why we should pay special attention to our education system. If such personalities can make it to the top from relatively poor upbringing, there must have been something working in our earlier education model. Those days, education was not just about forcing everything down a child’s throat. This, unfortunately, is happening now. No wonder children have to carry big bags to school. No wonder too many children lose interest in schooling. In the 1960s and 1970s, the burden of learning was not as heavy. Schooling was enjoyable and interesting. It was a combination of serious study and recreation. Those who went to boarding schools would testify to that. Whenever we had the term breaks, we could not wait to get back to school. Instead of the rote learning that children now experience, those days we were guided on the art of learning and acquiring knowledge.
We were taught how to communicate well and think critically. As we enter this era of an innovation-driven global economy, thinking and communication skills become even more critical. At a recent forum on innovation at MRANTI Park in Bukit Jalil, Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute, IEM, based in Paderborn, spoke about partnerships with Universiti Teknologi Mara and Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia in driving innovation in small and medium enterprises. Funded by the German Ministry of Science and Economy, the partnerships have been running innovation labs in UiTM, Shah Alam, and UTHM, Batu Pahat. Judging by what has been developed in the last three years of operation, both labs, which operate on the innovation model of ideate, create and collaborate, have substantially lifted the innovation interest in the participating SMEs.
In fact, I think the innovation lab idea should be replicated in all higher learning institutions. I would hasten to suggest setting up innovation labs even in schools. We know innovation always start with an idea. How to create new ideas should be taught at schools. This is where the thinking-outside-of-the-box skill is useful. Ideas are never perfect when first mooted. They require critical evaluation and debate. The culture of agreeing to disagree is a good way to generate ideas. The ability to accept criticism is also an important part of the ideation process. Unfortunately, I have dealt with officers in ministries who take criticisms personally. Such an attitude is a big obstacle to innovation. Innovation is all about making changes for the better. The other important attribute of innovators is that they dare to fail. They look at failing as part of the path to success. Innovation labs can be an effective way to sow the seed of an innovation culture to build a great nation.
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