10/06/2026

WEDNESDAY | JUNE 10, 2026

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AI race must put humanity first, warns Anwar

DPM urges continuous upskilling for Kemas educators PUTRAJAYA: Kemas educators must be given continuous opportunities to upgrade their skills, strengthen their competencies and adapt to evolving educational needs, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said. Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development minister, said lifelong learning, professional development, certification and skills enhancement should remain key priorities to ensure Kemas educators stay relevant and well equipped to meet future challenges. “A strong culture of lifelong learning, upskilling and professional recognition is essential to ensure they remain prepared for the demands of a rapidly changing educational landscape,” he said at the 2026 Kemas Educators’ Day celebration yesterday. He also stressed that improving the learning environment is equally important, noting that quality education requires both conducive facilities for children and adequate support for educators. “Children thrive in a positive learning environment, while educators deserve facilities that enable them to perform their duties effectively and comfortably,” he said, while encouraging Kemas educators to embrace innovation and explore new approaches in early childhood education. Ahmad Zahid also pledged continued support from the ministry, including sustained funding for the upgrading and maintenance of Kemas preschools and childcare centres nationwide. “I will ensure that Kemas and its leadership are fully supported. The ministry will continue to provide the necessary resources to improve educational facilities across the country,” he said. Kemas currently operates nearly 11,113 preschools and childcare centres nationwide, supported by 12,166 educators. Reflecting on Kemas’s 55-year history, Ahmad Zahid said the institution has played a pivotal role in expanding access to education, particularly for children in rural, remote and underserved communities. “Since its establishment, Kemas has helped shape the educational journey of more than 8.4 million Malaysian children. “That is Kemas’s true legacy. It is not merely about building classrooms or teaching literacy and numeracy, but also about nurturing confidence, shaping character and developing future generations,” he said. Also present were Rural and Regional Development Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Suriani Ahmad, Kemas director general Datuk Mohd Hanafiah Man and more than 300 Kemas educators. – Bernama

Despite these contradictions, he urged young people not to lose hope. “You are not here to perpetuate a corrupt or unjust system. You must have the conviction to challenge it, but you must do so wisely,” he said. On AI and international cooperation, Anwar said Malaysia would continue strengthening ties with major powers and Asean partners, highlighting Japan as a model of how discipline, culture and resilience could drive national success. “It is not just technology that made Japan successful. It is also character, culture and discipline.” Reiterating Malaysia’s commitment to dialogue, multilateralism and peaceful conflict resolution, Anwar said the country continued to engage all sides in international disputes while maintaining strong ties across the Middle East, Asia and the West. “There is no answer to conflict except dialogue and peace,” he said. He reminded students that while AI would transform economies and societies, it could not replace the values that defined humanity. currently participating in the scheme. Loke added that AI risk assessment could also lower the base premium for high-scoring motorists, compounding overall savings beyond the rebate alone. On the programme’s broader goals, Loke said the government ultimately hoped to move towards a fairer insurance ecosystem where motorists who complied with traffic laws and maintained good driving records were rewarded. He said the first three months served as a promotional period to encourage motorists to adopt the MyJPJ application. “During this period, everyone will receive the rebate. But ultimately, our goal is to reward motorists who genuinely maintain good driving records. “If motorists who accumulate many summonses receive the same rewards as responsible drivers, the programme loses its purpose. We want prudent drivers to be the ones who benefit,” he said. Looking ahead, Loke said the initiative could eventually extend beyond discounts to include reduced base premiums for drivers with exemplary records. “This is our first step towards reducing insurance costs for consumers while encouraging more prudent driving,” he said. Also present at yesterday’s launch was Berjaya Corporation Berhad founder Tan Sri Vincent Tan.

now wield enormous influence over the platforms and standards that shape the future,” he said. Anwar praised the University of Tokyo’s efforts to promote multidisciplinary learning, cautioning against what Spanish philosopher José Ortega y Gasset described as the “barbarism of specialisation” – where technical expertise was pursued without regard for humanity. “Education must be more than the accumulation of information and knowledge. It must cultivate wisdom, character and compassion,” he said. While acknowledging AI’s transformative potential, Anwar said machines remained incapable of experiencing the emotions and moral judgement that defined human existence. “AI can produce words of comfort without knowing grief, or create beauty without ever witnessing it.’ During a question-and-answer session, he challenged students to become agents of positive change rather than passive participants in an unjust world order. “Too many speak of peace while supporting war. We talk about justice, but tolerate gross injustice. We speak of compassion, yet allow millions to suffer,” he said.

o PM urges nations to counter global inequality, injustice with ethical digital growth

Ű BY KIRTINEE RAMESH newsdesk@thesundaily.com

technological advancement alone. “Artificial intelligence will continue to advance, but its purpose will be shaped by our laws, institutions, universities and moral courage,” he said. He stressed that technological progress could not be considered genuine advancement if it existed alongside war, oppression and widening inequality. Referring to conflicts in Gaza, Lebanon and other parts of the world, Anwar said humanity continued to grapple with violence and injustice despite unprecedented advances in technology. “There is a profound irony in our age. While we celebrate extraordinary technological achievements, human suffering continues to scar our world,” he said. He also warned of the growing concentration of technological power among a handful of countries and corporations controlling data, chips, cloud infrastructure and AI models. “The digital divide is widening, not shrinking. A handful of players

PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim warned yesterday that the global race to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) risks deepening inequality, eroding compassion and amplifying injustice unless humanity remains at the centre of technological progress. Delivering a special lecture titled “Humanity in a Human-Machine Civilisation” at the University of Tokyo, Anwar said AI’s greatest challenge was not technological but moral, urging nations to build a digital future grounded in ethics, wisdom and human dignity. “As we stand at the precipice of a massive technological paradigm shift, genocide, war, inequality and injustice continue to stare us in the face. Can we, in good conscience, claim that such advancements are truly worthy of humankind?” he asked. Anwar said Malaysia’s goal of becoming an AI nation by 2030 must be guided by human values, not KUALA LUMPUR: Motorists with clean driving records will qualify for an additional 10% rebate on their motor insurance premiums from Sept 10 under the government’s Cermat Madani Programme but until then, all MyJPJ users renewing their insurance will receive the discount regardless of driving history. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the rebate, available to motorists renewing their motor insurance and road tax via the MyJPJ application, is stackable with the existing No Claim Discount (NCD) of up to 55%, bringing total potential savings to 65% for eligible drivers. “For example, if a motorist is already entitled to the maximum 55% NCD and has a good driving record, they can receive an additional discount of up to 10%, bringing the total discount to 65%,” he told reporters after the programme launch on Tuesday. He said the programme, which took effect on June 9, would be rolled out in two phases. During the first phase, running from June 9 to Sept 9, all motorists renewing through MyJPJ would receive the additional rebate as a promotional measure to drive adoption of the application. From Sept 10, however, eligibility would be determined by an AI powered risk assessment system Ű BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI newsdesk@thesundaily.com

“What distinguishes humanity is not intelligence alone, but empathy, conscience, integrity and care for one another,” he said. Save up to 65% on vehicle insurance via MyJPJ until Sept 9

Loke launching the Cermat Madani programme at Berjaya Times Square, Kuala Lumpur, accompanied by (from left) Transport Ministry secretary-general Datuk Jana Santhiran Muniayan, RTD director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli and ministry deputy secretary-general (Management) Datuk Normah Osman. – ADAM AMIR HAMZAH/THESUN

only RTD and police summonses. Loke said one of the longstanding problems for insurers had been the absence of reliable driving record data. “Previously, insurers had no direct way of assessing whether a driver had traffic offences, accident records or a poor driving history. “Through this integration, they can now receive a risk score while personal data remains protected,” he said. Ten insurance companies are

drawing on records from the Road Transport Department (RTD) and police databases. “The scoring methodology is determined by the insurance companies. We do not set a specific threshold on the number of summonses a person can have. “Insurers will assess the driver’s overall risk profile and decide the level of discount to offer,” Loke said. He noted that local council fines would not be factored into the assessment, which at present covers