KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the country must move quickly, particularly in innovation and commercialisation, and cannot follow the old framework.

He said artificial intelligence (AI) should not be the possession of a small group, while quantum technology, which is now a focus, should be conveyed in simple language to schoolchildren and university students.

“Why does AI become the possession of a small group? Why can’t we expose it to the public? Why is quantum technology, which is now a focus, not conveyed in simple language to schoolchildren and universities?” he said in his speech at the National Innovation and Commercialisation Expo (NICE) 2026 here today.

Anwar said Malaysia could not wait for the school and university systems and curricula to be revamped as that would take time.

He said the country had to move quickly in the post normal world and could no longer follow the old framework.

“As I have said, in Postnormal Times, a post modern country cannot follow the old framework. Like Rostow’s stages of growth. It cannot anymore, it has to move quickly,” he said.

Universities, he said, had responded well, with several AI faculties established within three months, compared with the conventional process of establishing a faculty, which could take about a year.

“But when we gave this emphasis, I saw several AI faculties established within three months. It means we have the capability,” he said, adding that this was a necessity according to the demands of the times, particularly in innovation and commercialisation.

“How can we follow the old bureaucracy? It is not possible,” he said.

He then urged his colleagues in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) to continue exploring new directions, ways of thinking and methods.

“MOSTI is an important ministry from the perspective of new directions, from the perspective of thinking and exploring new areas of thought and new methods,” he said.

Anwar said greater synergy was needed between government research and innovation bodies, universities, government linked companies (GLCs) and private companies.

“They cannot work separately because this cooperation will strengthen our capabilities,” he said.

The next step, he said, was to strengthen synergy with GLCs before moving to private companies.

Many Malaysian private companies, he added, had demonstrated research capabilities that sometimes exceeded those of certain agencies.

“We utilise that strength,” he said.

He also said stronger synergy between research centres, universities, GLCs and the private sector was needed to ensure more effective disbursement of research funds.