Trust the new generation to deliver digitally

New Straits Times

24-04-2025

I did not get the chance to return to my hometown for Hari Raya Aidilfitri this year due to work commitments. I was assigned to attend a meeting in France on the second day of Raya and had to travel on the last day of Ramadan.
Fortunately, there was a silver lining.
On the third weekend of Raya, my office organised a community programme with schoolchildren in Kuala Kangsar on cybersecurity awareness. It was held at SMK Clifford — my old school.
The initiative was part of the Santuni Madani programme — Satu Pemimpin, Satu Kampung (One Leader, One Village) — a national effort inspired by the prime minister that calls for government leaders to give back to their hometowns.
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Thanks to the collaboration of various partners — including industry players, the Old Cliffordian Association (OCA), SMK Clifford, the Education Ministry and my classmates from the SPM 1990 batch — the event came together successfully.
Nearly 300 students from Forms 1 to 6 were introduced to topics that included cyber hygiene, career opportunities in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence from 9am to nearly 5pm.
The sessions were interactive and hands-on: gamified activities on protecting against cyber threats, discussions on the risks and benefits of digital devices, Minecraft-based AI education and even a session on digital marketing through social media platforms.
At the end of the day, each student received a Bahasa Malaysia-translated cybersecurity awareness book, provided by one of the industry partners.
Walking through the school grounds brought back memories.
I was once one of those kids — 39 years ago. Studying in a small-town school like SMK Clifford was a very different experience from what students in cities like Kuala Lumpur might go through.
Our teachers knew our parents. Some were even neighbours or relatives. We cycled to school.
Being away from the big city, our exposure to technology was limited. Our main sources of information were the television and newspapers.
Our command of the English language was weak.
After the programme, a few schoolmates and I reminisced about our school days and reflected on the students we had just spent the day with.
What struck us most was the confidence we saw in the students — many raised their hands to answer questions, volunteered to come on stage and engaged with the material with creativity and enthusiasm.
It was inspiring. But one thing had not changed — the teachers. They were just like the ones we had 39 years ago. They were more than educators; they were caregivers, mentors and protectors.
We could not help but compare ourselves at that age.
Back then, many of us struggled with self-confidence, especially in public speaking and sharing ideas.
When we entered college or matriculation programmes, we often felt inferior, particularly when interacting with students from fully residential schools or urban schools. Surprisingly, all five of us agreed on this.
What we saw that day gave us hope that these kids would not carry the same burden of insecurity.
Malaysia's direction in cybersecurity is heading towards technology sovereignty. To achieve this, we need to nurture more talent in cybersecurity and, more broadly, in STEM.
It is not enough to produce skilled users of technology, we must empower creators, developers and innovators.
Sovereignty means building from within and reducing dependency on external solutions.
I saw great potential in these kids. And I am certain there are many more like them. What they need is a stronger push and continuous support.
In my opening speech at the event, I used what has become a familiar line in many of my talks: every challenge comes with opportunity. It may sound clichéd, but I will keep saying it.
Some will choose the easy road, avoiding challenges, which leads to mediocrity. But those who take the difficult path may just discover gold.
The school's slogan since 1897 — "The Ship is More Than the Crew", carries deep meaning.
To me, it means this — when we understand that the ship is the only vessel to carry us to our destination, every crew member must unite to keep it whole, afloat and on course.
I believe we are building a generation ready to steer that ship forward.