19/12/2025

FRIDAY | DEC 19, 2025

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Nationwide roll out of AI powered classrooms by 2030

PETALING JAYA: The Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered classroom initiative is set to be expanded to all schools nationwide by 2030, said Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek. She said the initiative, which began with 27 schools this year, aims to empower students through adaptive learning while supporting teachers with task automation and learning analytics. She added that its implementation is bolstered by strategic collaborations with 24 major technology companies, including Google, Microsoft, Apple, Intel, Huawei, Samsung and MDEC, to help bridge the learning gap among students. “The Education Ministry implemented a five-year ICT Transformation Plan from 2019 to 2023 and introduced the Digital Education Policy in November 2023 as a guide for navigating the digital era. “The ministry is now developing the 2026 2030 Digitalisation Strategic Plan to continue advancing digital education,” she said in the Dewan Negara yesterday. Fadhlina said the ministry is committed to ensuring that every student, regardless of location, has access to quality digital education, an effort that both strengthens the education Ű BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI newsdesk@thesundaily.com

in 2021, which involved 550 classes across 110 selected schools.” She said the Hybrid Classroom initiative has since been rebranded as Smart Classrooms under the 12th Malaysia Plan, with the aim of expanding it to 2,000 classes in 400 institutions beginning in the fourth quarter of 2026. Fadhlina said Yayasan Didik Negara has played an important role in providing digital education support by supplying digital devices, smartboards and internet facilities to students, particularly those in rural areas and Orang Asli communities. “Meanwhile, the Digital Educational Learning Initiative Malaysia platform has demonstrated the effectiveness of digital education implementation, with active usage rates reaching 99% among teachers and 64% among students as of November, reflecting the effectiveness of ongoing efforts to enhance digital capabilities nationwide.” MCA accepts decision of PM on non inclusion in Cabinet KUALA LUMPUR: MCA Youth Information chief Neow Choo Seong said the party never expected to be part of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Cabinet lineup, even as Tuesday’s reshuffle once again left them out of ministerial posts. Neow said MCA’s exclusion from the Cabinet should not be seen as a failure but as an opportunity to redefine the party’s role. “I never expected MCA to be in the Cabinet. So, I think that is the beauty. Because when we are not in, we are more free,” he told theSun in an exclusive interview on Wednesday. The former diplomat said the continued exclusion should be seen as a renewed freedom to provide checks and balances on government policies. He said the party’s role outside the Cabinet offers “more clarity to be the voices of the people”, adding that MCA intends to adopt a critical yet mindful stance on national policies. “We are critical of the government’s policies. At the end of the day the political party is for the people. So, the power will come when we have enough mandate.” With less than two years remaining before the next general election, Neow urged MCA members not to be disheartened by the Cabinet snub but to focus on internal transformation. “We need to regain public confidence, public trust so that in the future we can contribute more significantly to the country.” He called for the strengthening of both MCA and the Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition. Despite being part of the ruling BN coalition, MCA and its BN partner MIC were again excluded from ministerial posts. MCA leaders and commentators have voiced concerns about their marginalisation within BN, while MIC even reportedly engaged with Perikatan Nasional about becoming part of the coalition. Neow stressed that despite the snub, MCA’s current focus should be on rebuilding its grassroots support, reclaiming voter trust and strengthening BN’s unity. MCA now holds only two parliamentary seats following the 15th general election, both in Johor. Party president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong retained Ayer Hitam while deputy president Datuk Seri Wee Jeck Seng successfully defended Tanjung Piai. At the state level, MCA’s presence is similarly limited. It holds one seat in Perak (Chenderiang), two seats in Malacca (Machap Jaya and Klebang) and four seats in Johor (Bekok, Yong Peng, Paloh and Pekan Nanas). – By Ikhwan Zulkaflee

o Initiative aims to empower students through adaptive learning, support teachers with task automation and learning analytics, says minister

infrastructure across all schools in rural and remote areas. “All schools are now equipped with internet access using 30 Mbps broadband, 300-800 Mbps fibre or 100 Mbps satellite connectivity, depending on the technology most suitable to geographical and local conditions. “Schools have also been empowered with facilities such as smartboards, smart TVs, laptops and computer laboratories through the Hybrid Classroom pilot project implemented

ecosystem and prepares future generations to meet the challenges of the digital world. She was responding to Senator Dr Jufitri Joha’s question on the status of the Digital Education Transformation Plan, including high-speed internet access and basic learning devices for all rural and remote schools. She said the ministry continues to strengthen digital education through the provision of ICT devices and the phased enhancement of internet access and

Ahmad Zahid, accompanied by Rural and Regional Development Deputy Minister Datuk Rubiah Wang and Mara chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, arriving for the Universiti Poly-Tech Malaysia convocation at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC

Ű BY IKHWAN ZULKAFLEE newsdesk@thesundaily.com Barisan Nasional chairman in catch-22 situation

appointments and policy decision-making. MCA and MIC leaders have argued that their contributions and historical roles within BN are no longer adequately reflected in the Madani administration, fuelling perceptions that they are being sidelined in favour of PH partners. However, Ahmad Zahid recently adopted a firmer tone, urging BN component parties to remain patient, reminding them that they did not back him when he first sought to form a government together with PH and other parties after the general election. Amid these internal tensions, political analysts argue that BN’s current challenges must be viewed in a broader post-2018 context. Nusantara Academy for Strategic Research senior fellow Dr Azmi Hassan said BN had been in a far more critical condition immediately after the 14th general election (GE14) when component parties from Sarawak exited the coalition. “That was an enormous pressure on BN because between 10 and 20 parliamentary seats were effectively lost overnight. These were seats that had long been considered BN’s ‘fixed deposits,’” he told theSun via WhatsApp. Azmi said it significantly weakened BN’s

parliamentary standing and altered the political landscape for the coalition. However, he does not see the recent expressions of discomfort by MCA and MIC as posing the same level of threat to BN’s survival. “This is because Umno remains the backbone of BN. Although Umno is weaker than before, it has managed to survive from 2018 until now because it is politically astute and able to adapt to changing circumstances.” Azmi said BN does not expel its component parties unless they commit serious mistakes. “That is why BN will not remove MCA or MIC from the coalition. However, if MCA and MIC were to leave BN on their own accord it could actually make matters easier for Umno, particularly when it comes to seat allocations in future elections. “For decades MIC and MCA depended heavily on Umno’s strength. Now, Umno itself has lost much of that strength. This raises the question of who Umno should prioritise when allocating seats.” Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had announced a Cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday. Despite keeping Umno in the Cabinet, MIC and MCA remained sidelined by the Madani government.

PETALING JAYA: Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman and Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is in a catch-22 situation. Although he succeeded in securing BN’s entry into the Madani government, he continues to operate under sustained pressure from several directions. Within Umno and the wider BN coalition there are influential leaders and grassroots members who are ideologically and historically uneasy about cooperating with Pakatan Harapan (PH), particularly PKR and DAP, parties that were once BN’s fiercest political rivals. Ahmad Zahid is also contending with dissatisfaction from BN’s traditional component parties, MCA and MIC, which have openly expressed concerns about their diminished role in the current Unity government. Both parties suffered severe electoral setbacks in recent general elections and now hold limited parliamentary representation, a factor that has translated into reduced influence in government