KUALA LUMPUR: The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) is here to stay with no turning back.
That is the primary message being championed in a new book called 4IR - Reinventing A Nation, launched by Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik at the Frankfurt International Book Fair in Germany today.
The book is written by author and founder of Ztudium Dinis Guarda and political strategist Dr Rais Hussin.
Dr Rais who is president/CEO of EMIR Research, an independent think tank specialising in data-driven research, is also the co-chairman of Deutsche Malaysia Ventures.
"Reinventing A Nation" was written to serve as a road map and eye-opener for policymakers and politicians who have the interest of the nation at heart, according to a release on the launch.
In his speech at the launch, Dr Maszlee said the progress of mankind is very much related to our understanding of the continual changes in our environment.
As the production and services industries have entered the digital age, Dr Maszlee stressed the need to grasp and embrace 4IR technologies.
“Ideas and innovation that are driven by algorithms and smart systems will be the foundation for a new wave of economic growth. Our vision is to make Technical and Vocational Education and
Training (TVET) programs mainstream, rather than an alternative choice. We also want our national TVET initiatives to be seen as unified and sharing a strong and comprehensive system,” he added.
The book makes an assertion that “this new 4IR world is digital and global but equally it needs to be interweaved into the physical environment of localised communities. The technology of the future is limited only by our capacity to design it, which in turn is inspired by the way we live in the present”.
4IR technologies, according to the book, demand a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to better extract its potential to positively transform our personal, community and national experiences.
The book, published by EMIR Research, is available in paperback at RM69.90 or hard cover at RM89.90.