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Showing posts with label Star says. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Star says. Show all posts

Monday 22 January 2024

How Malaysians can learn to love AI


How Malaysians can learn to love AI


DIGITAL initiatives seem to be coming fast and furious from the government.

We had the launch of the Central Database Hub, or Padu, on Jan 2 and just this week, on Tuesday, the AI for the Rakyat portal, was unveiled.

AI untuk Rakyat


AI For Rakyat

, https://ai.gov.my/#/home

The introduction at its website, ai.gov.my, is interesting: “AI untuk Rakyat” is a self-learning online programme designed to raise public awareness about artificial intelligence (AI).

“It aims to demystify AI for people from all walks of life – a student, a stay-at-home parent, a professional in any field, a senior citizen – basically, anyone interested in getting acquainted with it and wanting to build a ‘Digital First Mindset’.”

If all goes well, the portal could indeed help to address the country’s growing digital divide as those with access to the digital world pull away from those who don’t have the means to benefit from it.

Padu is entirely designed and maintained by the government to ease fears of our data being misused in the hands of a third party.

Similarly, AI for the rakyat is largely government-driven, with the Economy Ministry working with just one private company, Intel.

And we are glad to note that apart from Bahasa Malaysia, the portal is also inclusively available in English, Chinese and Tamil (the last is rare indeed).

The government is hoping to have one million Malaysians become familiar with AI skills in three years.

That’s all well and good, but we must ensure that this portal does not go the way of previous tech initiatives, like the Multimedia Super Corridor, which did not reach its full potential.

All these digital initiatives need real support in the form of nurturing ecosystems and infrastructure, serious investment, and an open acceptance of all sorts of different talents.

Most importantly, “knowing” AI does not lessen the urgent need for solid cybersecurity laws and a moral code of ethics to govern the use and development of all digital initiatives, including AI.

As Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli stressed at the portal’s launch, there must be optimal end-to-end conditions and wholesome policies to accompany the growth of AI.

Rafizi argued that without trustworthy data and secure channels, the products and services driven by AI technology could not be implemented properly.

“To be the regional and global AI hub, we must be able to create new uses for AI. This can only be done if we have ready and accessible data,” he said, pointing out that Padu is a step towards this.


AI untuk Rakyat


AI For Rakyat

, https://ai.gov.my/#/home

https://ai.gov.my/#/home

About AI untuk Rakyat

AI untuk Rakyat is a self-learning online program designed to raise public awareness about Artificial Intelligence (AI). It aims to demystify AI for people from all walks of life – a student, a stay-at-home parent, a professional in any field, a senior citizen - basically, anyone interested in getting acquainted with it and wanting to build a ‘Digital First Mindset' 

The program is divided into two sections: AI Aware and AI Appreciate

Both sections can be completed in about four hours. Each section is based on AI-related concepts explained through engaging activities and quizzes. The users can take the quizzes as many times as they want. After they complete these quizzes, they become bearers of AI Aware and AI Appreciate badges that they can share on their social media accounts.
AI Aware illustration
AI Aware Badge

What is AI untuk Rakyat?

Who is this program for? Who should/ can attend/ participate in it?

What is the duration of this program?

What is covered in the program?

What are the prerequisites for this program?

What will I get once I complete the program?

Can I call myself an AI expert after attending this program?

I have finished the program. What is the next step?

I am unable to select my birth year on the registration page. What should I do?

I did not receive the OTP. What do I do?

My query is not resolved yet - whom should I reach out to?

 

Wednesday 10 May 2017

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption (MACC) movement underway on zero tolerance for graft


WE HAVE long grumbled that there should be stronger and swifter action against high-ranking officials who use their positions for personal gain instead of serving the public interest.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) ongoing streak of arrests and court cases involving senior officers in civil service and the private sector is encouraging, but even that may not satisfy the cynics, who are likely to point out that there are plenty more big fish out there and that there is no sign of a decline in corruption and abuse of power.

That is an easy thing to do – blame others when things do not go well and then expect the corruption fighters to clean up a huge and complex mess. But it surely cannot be the only thing we are capable of doing.

The MACC has a suggestion: to join the “revolutionary movement” against corruption.

That sounds like a lot of work, but Gerakan Revolusi Anti-Rasuah (Gerah) is actually a nationwide awareness campaign to change how people view corruption and abuse of power.

The ultimate aim is to enlist the support of the people in the war against corruption by shaping society to “hate, reject and fight corruption”.

“Our intention is to create a sense of fear and uneasiness so that wrongdoers will feel the heat. They should, for they are gambling away the peace, security and harmony of society, as well as jeopardising the country’s growth,” MACC chief commissioner Datuk Dzulkifli Ahmad told Sunday Star.

The commission will mobilise 2,000 officers from all over the country to meet the people and foster closer rapport and cooperation.

This is not a mere public relations exercise. Efforts to stamp out corruption cannot just focus on those who take the money. In treating corruption and abuse of power as the country’s No. 1 enemy, we also have to acknow­ledge that we are partly responsible for sustaining this enemy.

Every time we offer a bribe, refuse to be a whistleblower or blithely dismiss corruption as “the Malaysian way”, we are strengthening the very thing that threatens to choke our nation’s development.

It is therefore fitting that Gerah incorporates the month-long 3J campaign, which the MACC launched on Monday in a partnership with Star Media Group Bhd.

The 3J name is shorthand for “Jangan Hulur, Jangan Kawtim, Jangan Settle”, which means “Don’t Give and Don’t Settle”.

It is a clever use of colloquial words that are synonymous with corruption, and there is little chance of misunderstanding the intent of the campaign.

“We hope this will pave the way for people to say no to corruption and create a society that has the courage to stand up and fight not only against corruption, but the corruptors,” said Dzulkifli at the launch.

Here is our choice: Be part of the “revolutionary movement” or do nothing and yet expect life to be better.

Source: Stay Say

Top zakat official among 11 held




Wide net: MACC officers escorting Penang Tithes Management Centre personnel to the court in George Town to obtain their remand order.

GEORGE TOWN: A high-ranking Datuk from Pusat Zakat Negeri Pulau Pinang (ZPP) has been accused of misappropriating tithe money, including approving an annual scholarship for one of his children.

He is also alleged to have pocketed payments from contractors as an inducement to provide them with jobs involving ZPP community prog­rammes.

The man is among 11 people, including staff and contractors, who have been detained in a swoop by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) yesterday following an investigation that began last December.

The 50-year-old Datuk was picked up at the ZPP office in Bandar Perda, Bukit Mertajam, at 10.40am yesterday.

Three of his co-workers, including two ZPP department heads, and seven ZPP contractors were also detained in the operation codenamed Ops Miskin.

Penang MACC director Datuk Abdul Aziz Aban said the Datuk was detained on suspicion of accepting valuable items, cash and cheques from several companies and suppliers as inducements to award certain projects or works related to the state zakat community development programmes.

He added that the Datuk, who has held the position in ZPP since 1995, was believed to have also approved the annual scholarship without going through the Penang Religious Affairs Department for approval.

“We believe the four ZPP officials have been sharing the illegal payments among themselves between 2014 and 2016.

“We have been watching them since December last year,” Abdul Aziz said during a press conference at the state MACC headquarters here yesterday.

 
Wide net: MACC officers escorting Penang Tithes Management Centre personnel to the court in George Town to obtain their remand order.

Every Muslim with a certain amount of wealth is required to give zakat or alms to the poor and needy.

Abdul Aziz said the seven contractors, aged between 41 and 52, were believed to have often received projects or tenders from ZPP with the help of the Datuk.

He declined to elaborate on the amount of money seized in the operation, saying that it would be revealed after the investigation had been completed.

Apparently, the amount collected by the suspects totalled several million ringgit.

Abdul Aziz said the 11 suspects, who were remanded for a week, would be investigated under Section 17(a) and (b), as well as Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009.

“The offence carries a jail term of up to 20 years and five times the amount of bribes involved,” he added.

Earlier, the 11 were brought to the magistrate’s court here by the MACC at 3pm to be remanded.

Magistrate Mohamad Amin Shahul Hamid granted a seven-day remand, which began yesterday.

Source:  The Star by sharanpal singh randhawa, g.c. tan, sardi mahorm, logeiswary thevadass, chong kah yuan, hemananthani sivanandam, royce tan


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Sunday 9 October 2016

Water corruption, an integrity crisis is disruptive, debilitating, damaging and hurting us

Water Corruption | SSWM http://www.sswm.info/content/water-corruption

The Star Says: A crisis of integrity and a lesson to be learnt


THE country’s gaze is fixed on the alleged corruption in the Sabah Water Department, following the arrest of two of its senior officers.

How can it not be when the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) displayed at a press conference on Wednesday the cash, cars and luxury goods found in the duo’s homes and offices?

If a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine how much power there is in photographs of items worth tens of millions of ringgit.

And the numbers that the case has yielded so far are dizzying.

The MACC has seized about RM57mil in cash, nine cars (estimated value is RM3mil), 19.3kg of gold jewellery (RM3.6mil), almost 100 handbags (RM500,000) and 127 land title deeds.

The commission has also frozen bank accounts with balances totalling RM60mil.

It is certain that more assets will be uncovered as the probe deepens and widens.

There are additional figures to digest.

The MACC has discovered that the department had given contracts to 38 companies owned by family members and proxies of the two senior officers.

These contracts were awarded for projects funded by the Federal Government. In total, RM3.3bil was set aside for the projects.

The Star reported yesterday that 60 sen out of every ringgit thus allocated was pocketed by many individuals.

We marvel at the size of the MACC’s haul and we are outraged by the extent of the apparent theft of government funds, but we should also take note of another set of numbers.

According to 2015 statistics from the National Water Services Commission, which is better known as SPAN, 87.9% of Sabah’s population has treated water supply.

Only Kelantan has a lower water coverage (64%), although SPAN explained that many households in Kelantan relied on alternative water sources.

At the national level, 95.5% of the population has water coverage.

Sabah did just as poorly in the handling of non-revenue water (NRW), which is the difference between the water that comes out of the treatment plants and the water for which consumers are billed.

The gap is due to theft, leakage, burst pipes, faulty meters and maintenance works.

Last year, Malaysia’s NRW rate was 35.5%. Sabah’s rate was 55.1%, which again placed the state as second from the bottom.

Perlis was slightly worse, with 56.3%.

Yes, Sabah is large, and its rural communities are dispersed. But the same can be said about Sarawak, which has performed better in these areas of water supply management.

Whichever way you look at it, Sabah cannot claim to have a sparkling record in providing water to the people and in taking care of the water infrastructure. And now we can think of many million reasons why this is so.

The MACC investigations probably have some way to go, and if it leads to people being charged in court, a lot more will have to happen before the Sabah Water Department case can be put to rest.

Nevertheless, this is also a time for a compelling case study on how corruption directly hurts us.

Here is a great example of why we should all fight corruption. Underestimate its impact, and we may one day be left high and dry. Let us not waste this learning opportunity.

We have lately been fretting about being hit by a water crisis, but we should also understand that an integrity crisis is just as disruptive, debilitating and damaging. The Star Says

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