Izah Azahari
There is no doubt the country and the world have entered the era of infotechnology based on the rapidly changing power of innovation and creativity, which is competitive, fast and borderless.
This was said by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports (MCYS) Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Awang Haji Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin during Kolej International Graduate Studies (IGS) 2020’s convocation ceremony on Saturday.
The minister said being provided with the intellect of Industrial Revolution 4.0 is critical to the future development of the nation and it is the graduates’ turn to apply the knowledge they have acquired.
“Towards this end, take the step with the courage to challenge yourself, cultivate a strong drive and focus your mind on thinking far, wide and out of the norm.
“I am very confident that every graduate here is able to meet the criteria essential to succeeding in this era of technology,” said the minister.
The minister also called on the graduates to believe in their own abilities and continue to prove that they are on par with their peers globally.
Touching on the global creative industry, the minister said it has recorded a revenue of USD2, 250 billion or three per cent of the global gross domestic product (GDP), while generating 29.5 million jobs, or one per cent of the world’s population.
“This is a golden opportunity for graduates to venture into this international industry by daring to cross the border because nothing is impossible,” said the minister.
He also believed that education is not only aimed at just producing knowledgeable people, but also creating individuals who are excellent, resilient and able to lead in selected fields globally while maintaining the well-being of society and the country.
The minister added that in providing a platform to ensure that graduates will achieve the best for themselves and the country, lifelong learning plays a critical role in addressing it effectively, as in this era of creative economy, collaboration, relationship and cooperation with one another are very important.
“Overcoming uncertainty among graduates in this era requires strong support through knowledge-sharing and strong collaboration with each other, to take advantage of every opportunity available while fending off any challenges,” said the minister.
“Towards this end, we welcome Kolej IGS and other educational institutions to further enhance collaboration and cooperation to ensure the future of our youth on an ongoing basis.”
The minister said as an institution that plays a critical role in producing youth to meet the country’s needs, full governmental support will always be provided to ensure that their aspirations and hopes for the sake of the nation, religion and country will be achieved.
“With the 3E – Enable, Educate and Empower – objective, the whole-of-nation approach will continue to be employed to achieve Brunei Vision 2035, InsyaAllah,” added the minister.