PUTRAJAYA, Aug 5 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) launched the Malaysia Foresight Network (MFN) as a national coordination mechanism and community of practice that brings together foresight focal point officers from ministries, government agencies, research institutions, higher education institutions, industry and the innovation ecosystem.
In a statement today, MOSTI said that the establishment of the MFN is one of the steps to strengthen the development and application of foresight in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), in line with the National Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy 2021–2030 (DSTIN 2021-2030), particularly under Core 1: Responsive STI Governance.
According to the statement, the MFN was launched in conjunction with the Malaysia Foresight Leadership Forum 2026: Anticipating Talent, Technology and National Capability Towards 2040 and the Town Hall Session on Aligning Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Talent Policy, which was held here for three days from Monday.
The programme organised by the Malaysian Science and Technology Information Centre (MASTIC) in strategic collaboration with the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) brings together policymakers, representatives from ministries and government agencies, industry players, academics, research institutions, and foresight practitioners to strengthen the use of a forward-looking approach in the national policy formulation process.
MOSTI deputy secretary-general (Planning and Science Enculturation) Datuk Ruziah Shafei said that technological changes, geopolitical uncertainties, climate change, demographic shifts, and the rapid pace of the digital economy require the government to strengthen a more forward-looking planning approach.
"In an increasingly dynamic, complex and unpredictable global environment, planning approaches that rely solely on past experiences or current needs are no longer sufficient.
"Foresight is not aimed at predicting a fixed future, but rather a disciplined approach to exploring various possibilities, testing assumptions, and forming policies that are more prepared, flexible and resilient," she said.
-- BERNAMA