Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said this was to address the issue of a lack of engineers to meet industry needs following the investment of several giant technology companies. including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Infineon.

“We used to say (digital and AI courses) all must be graduates of science, mathematics and so on, but there is also a need to take (students) majoring in literature to follow part of this course.

“When I went to India recently, there was a company there that said not all digital or AI majors must be engineering. There are some in literature or selected courses that can be directed to specific needs,” he said at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kerian Integrated Green Industrial Park in Kerian, Perak, today.

During a visit to High School Bukit Mertajam later in the day, Anwar stated that the education ministry should focus on ensuring that students master English, Science, and Mathematics to support the country’s development.

He emphasized the importance of mastering these subjects due to changes in the curriculum and the emergence of new fields such as AI, green energy transition, digital technology, and social media.

“You (students) must also ensure that you have a strong command of English,” he said during a visit to his alma mater.

“The Malay language should be strengthened, while the English language should be developed.”