Malaysia will establish the country’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) learning centre, namely the AI ​​Faculty in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia with an initial allocation of RM20 million to strengthen exploration of the field.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this was because innovation and digital talent needed to be empowered, especially in the field of AI to drive the country’s economic growth in a more sustainable manner.

“Malaysia needs to move quickly along with the accelerated growth of these fields in line with the global digital transformation boom,“ he said when presenting Budget 2024 in the Dewan Rakyat today.

The finance minister said this would be from the RM16.3 billion allocated for the Higher Education Ministry (MoHE) in 2024 compared to RM15.3 billion this year in an effort to provide students with the skills and knowledge required by the job market.

To address the complaints in his ‘Meet Anwar’ dialogue series with students, the prime minister announced that RM250 million will be made available to replace and expand internet access in all public universities, including RM5 million to implement the digitalisation project of university teaching hospitals.

In addition, Anwar said RM300 million is provided to maintain and repair infrastructure at Institutes of Higher Education (IPTs) as well as replace old equipment, including RM50 million for the procurement of equipment at four Malaysian technical universities.

He also said that the government will continue to popularise knowledge by encouraging vulnerable communities such as people with disabilities (PwD), Orang Asli, single mothers and the elderly to sign up for lifelong learning programmes at community colleges.

As such, he said the government is providing RM5 million for the benefit of 5,000 focus communities in 105 community colleges nationwide, in addition to RM1 million for each public university to further drive the implementation of the MADANI Community Empowerment and the Disabled Community Rehabilitation programmes.

On the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN), the prime minister said the government has agreed to provide discounts on loan repayments from tomorrow until March 31 next year.

It involves a 10 per cent discount on remaining debts for full settlement of the loan; a 10 per cent discount for payment of at least 50 per cent of the outstanding debt in one payment and 15 per cent discount for payment by salary deduction or scheduled direct debit.

Anwar also said that enrolment fees in public universities must be limited to no more than RM1,500 from January next year, in line with the amount of PTPTN’s advance loan (WPP).

He said students who are unable to pay tuition fees will not be restricted from registering for subjects each semester, and that payments can be settled post registration, adding also that any regulation concerning payment must take into account the students’ welfare. -Bernama