Nation

Putrajaya Festival of Ideas gets national boost, cabinet committee formed

PUTRAJAYA: The Putrajaya Festival of Ideas (FOI) will now be overseen by a Cabinet Committee to expand the event on a national scale, moving forward.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said that the decision to elevate the programme was made during a cabinet meeting.

"The three-day event, which attracted over 100,000 attendees, received an overwhelmingly positive reception following its official launch by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

"Consequently, during the last cabinet meeting, a decision was made to establish a Cabinet Committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. This means the programme is being elevated to a national-level initiative," he told reporters after the closing ceremony of the Putrajaya FOI today.

Zambry said that this move aimed at ensuring better coordination among various ministries and agencies, facilitating the programme's growth into a more structured and expansive endeavour in the coming years.

He said that the FOI had positioned Malaysia on the international stage, as a unique platform for innovative ideas.

When asked if the ideas shared during the event would be implemented, he expressed optimism.

He pointed out that the discussions, such as the royal address on "Rethinking Development Ideas," provided valuable insights for revisiting the country's development model.

These ideas will be compiled into a report for the cabinet's consideration.

"Over the past three days, we hosted 10 parallel programmes, including seminars chaired by other ministers. These programmes on topics including the economy, education, AI, health, food security, and sustainability, provided not just a platform for dialogue but also a means for ministers to actively engage with ideas and implement them for the nation's benefit," he said.

The festival saw more than 2,000 job opportunities offered, and the event brought together experts, leaders, academics, and the public to discuss solutions to current challenges.

Yesterday, Anwar, in his speech, proposed making the festival an annual event to inspire creativity, foster innovation, and engage youth in shaping the nation's future.

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