Perlu aktif rebut peluang cipta teknologi baru - Utusan Malaysia

DR. Mahathir Mohamad merasmikan E-Pembelajaran Inovasi sambil diperhatikan Anuwar Ali (kanan) dan Pro Canselor OUM, Tan Sri Azman Hashim pada majlis syarahan kesan teknologi pada masa hadapan untuk pendidikan tinggi di Hotel Seri Pasifik, Kuala Lumpur, semalam.

KUALA LUMPUR 10 Ogos - Institusi pendidikan tinggi disaran supaya terus aktif mencipta dan menggunakan teknologi terbaru bagi mengembangkan lagi ilmu dan seterusnya meningkatkan taraf pendidikan negara.

Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad berkata, ini kerana pelbagai teknologi canggih termasuk dunia Internet berkembang pantas pada hari ini dan ia menjadi faktor penting kepada kecemerlangan sesebuah negara.

"Kita perlu membina sistem atau cara untuk membolehkan ilmu pengetahuan diperoleh dengan efektif melalui perkembangan teknologi. Ini peluang baik kerana amat jelas teknologi amat penting untuk kita pada hari ini.

"Contoh jelas yang sudah berlaku ialah dengan menggunakan Internet kita boleh melanjutkan pelajaran ke universiti tanpa perlu menghadiri kuliah. Dengan menggunakan komputer sahaja kita mampu untuk mendapatkan ilmu pengetahuan yang lengkap," katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika berucap pada Syarahan Umum bertajuk 'Impak Teknologi Kepada Masa Depan Pendidikan Tinggi' anjuran Universiti Terbuka Malaysia (OUM) di sini hari ini.

Turut hadir, Naib Canselor OUM, Tan Sri Anuwar Ali.

Menyentuh mengenai bahasa, Dr. Mahathir berkata, teknologi canggih yang wujud pada hari ini juga memerlukan masyarakat untuk lebih mahir dalam menggunakan bahasa Inggeris memandangkan ia menjadi bahasa utama di dunia pada hari ini.

"Menggunakan bahasa Inggeris untuk maju tidak bermakna kita tidak patriotik terhadap bahasa ibunda kita sendiri.

"Sebaliknya, untuk mencapai kejayaan dan maju, kita perlu belajar dan mahir menggunakan bahasa Inggeris kerana begitu banyak teknologi berkembang pesat melalui bahasa itu. Dengan cara itu kita menjadi lebih patriotik kerana berusaha membangunkan negara ini," katanya.

Katanya, disebabkan itu, beliau sendiri ketika menjadi Perdana Menteri telah membuat keputusan supaya mata pelajaran Sains dan Matematik diajar di dalam bahasa Inggeris.

"Kenapa ia begitu penting? Ia kerana setiap minit perkara baru akan terhasil di dalam dunia sains dan matematik dan ia berlaku bukanlah di dalam bahasa ibunda kita tetapi melalui bahasa Inggeris.

"Saya sudah pergi ke merata tempat di seluruh dunia dan ramai yang berkata jika kita tidak tahu bahasa Inggeris kita akan menghadapi masalah terutama dalam pendidikan," katanya.

Master English, Dr M tells students - Malaysiakini

"New knowledges not coming to us in our own language. They come to us in English, the language of knowledge. So, whether you like it or not, you have to master it." says Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

"We can translate information to Malay, but it takes a lot of time. It will be easier for us to grasp it if we master English." stressed the former premier.

"It is easy to be a language nationalist, but useless if you only understand one language," he added



Students should not involve themselves with politics during their studies, says Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Therefore he saw no need for the repeal or amendment of the University and University Colleges Act (UUCA) to allow them to do so.

"People pay a lot of money for the students to go to universities to study. They shouldn't be involved in politics," stressed the former premier.

There will be time enough for politics later on in life, he added.

He said this when met by reporters after giving a talk in Kuala Lumpur on the impact of technology on higher learning organised by Open University Malaysia.

"After they've left and when they have time and their own money, they can do it (get into politics)," he explained.

Dr M backs English language - The Star

PETALING JAYA: Mastering the English language will not make one less patriotic, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

“People should accept the fact that English is currently the language of knowledge,” he said.

He said the Internet came with various languages but English was still the main language on websites.

Guest-of-honour: Dr Mahathir launching e-Learning Innovations Tuesday. With him are Open University Malaysia pro-chancellor Tan Sri Azman Hashim (left) and the university’s president/vice-chancellor Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Anuwar Ali.

Dr Mahathir, who initiated the change to use English for teaching Science and Mathematics, said the two subjects should be taught in English as most of the information and research were written in the international language.

“You cannot rely on someone to translate the latest information for you as it changes every minute.

“If you master the language, you can acquire the information by yourself and search for the information that will benefit you,” he said in a talk on Impact of Technology on the Future of Higher Education at a hotel here yesterday.

Public Lecture by YABhg Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad

Tun Dr. Mahathir delivering his lecture

OUM is proud to organize another public lecture today and the presenter is none other than our beloved former PM of Malaysia, YABhg Tun Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohamad. The title of his lecture was "Impact of Technology on the Future of Higher Education".

Tan Sri Dr. Anuwar Ali delivering his welcoming address

Tun Dr. M launching the e=learning innovations, witnessed by Tan Sri Azman Hashim (Pro-Chancellor of OUM) and Emeritus Prof Tan Sri Anuwar Ali (President and Vice Chancellor of OUM). Pix courtesy of The Star

The event which started at 9.30am was held at the Seri Pacific Hotel Ballroom in KL on 10 August 2010. Close to 1,000 people from all over Malaysia and even as far as Yemen, came to listen attentively to Tun's lecture. It was a frank and well thought lecture where Tun shares his years of experience about the the impact of technology especially the Internet on education.

Tun Dr. Mahathir shaking hands with participants after delivering his lecture

Tun Dr. Mahathir was met by reporters


Earlier, YBhg Tan Sri Dr. Anuwar Ali, President and Vice Chancellor of OUM gave a welcoming speech and provide insight of the various e-learning technology developed by OUM. YABhg Tun was given the honor to launch the new E-Learning Innovation.

The launching of OUM's e-learning innovation

Multimedia presentation of E-Learning Innovation

In his lecture, Tun Dr. M, as he is fondly known, emphasized on the need to create new ideas and knowledge to address the problems caused by technology itself. He was very concerned about the overwhelming knowledge available on the net especially pornographic materials which has caused a lot of social problems in Malaysia lately.

In order to obtain the knowledge one must have a good grasp in English as it is the international language. He was disappointed that after he retired from the government, the teaching of Math and Science using English mooted by him has been reversed back to the Malay language. This was due to certain groups of people who misconstrue that learning the English language makes one less patriotic.

Video clip of Tun Dr. M's lecture - Part 1

Video clip of Tun Dr. M's lecture - Part 2

He said that technology today is more powerful and should be capitalized to improve our knowledge. He was glad that OUM has implemented various e-learning efforts to help make education available to all at an affordable fee. With technology, learning has just begun. The younger generation learns faster than the elderly as their mindset has not changed. He confessed that he himself find it difficult to use the PC and the various programs, nevertheless, it is important for us to use it in order to gain the knowledge that we required.

At the end of his one and half hour lecture, participants were given opportunity to ask Tun on various issues. When asked about the one thing he will do if the clock were to turned back 22 years ago, Tun said there are many things he could do as a PM and the one thing he wanted to do and he could do is to enforce the teaching of math and science in English successfully.

When asked to suggest to narrow the gap of digital divide especially between students and teachers, Tun Dr. M candidly suggested that the teachers must be very old and ought to retire. He said teachers should equip themselves with more knowledge than their students.

Tun Dr. M on air via OUM's i-radio

Video clip of I-Radio interview with Tun Dr. M

The lecture ends at 11.00am and Tun Dr. Mahathir then made a visit to OUM main campus to look at the new technology used at OUM. Tun Dr. M was also interviewed live via i-radio of OUM by Prof. Dr. Zoraini and accompanied by Tan Sri Anuwar Ali and Prof. Dr. Mansor Fadzil.

Tun Dr. M meeting staff of OUM at OUM's main campus

Tun Dr. Mahathir was seen leaving OUM after lunch