Established in 2015 in collaboration with MIT Sloan Management, our vision is to be a global knowledge hub, with regional insights from Asia and the emerging world.
ASB’s research centers conduct impactful research in emerging markets, business strategies, technology, and sustainability. Together, they foster innovation in the business landscape.
The ASB curriculum seamlessly integrates MIT Sloan’s rigor with the strategic insights of Asia. With MIT Sloan Immersion and Industry Treks, it immerses future leaders in a diverse range of industries.
Introducing ACE (Agile Continuous Education), a structured micro-credentials initiative offering flexible, hybrid courses developed to strengthen professional capability in a rapidly evolving landscape.
ASB excels through dynamic collaborations, addressing business challenges with innovation, built on robust partnerships.
Tariffs swing, policies flip, and rules keep changing. How can CEOs stay ahead when uncertainty is constant? Professor Joseph Cherian, CEO of the Asia School of Business, shares strategies and practical insights for leaders navigating today’s volatile world.
Originally published by Astro AWANI.
The video features Distinguished Professor Joe Cherion, CEO, President and Dean of Asia School of Business in Malaysia, discussing Asia School of Business’s mission, its Asia-focused approach, and Vietnam’s role in Asia’s education landscape. Cherion’s visit to Ho Chi Minh City for the MIT Southeast Asia Advisory Council meeting highlights Asia School of Business’s collaboration with MIT Sloan and the Central Bank of Malaysia, its Asian-centric curriculum, and the central banking program. He explains why Vietnam matters, Asia School of Business’s experiential, action-learning approach, and hybrid delivery, and how Southeast Asia can serve as a neutral platform for global collaboration while addressing talent mobility and development.
Summary by AI.
Originally published by BNC Now.
(Oct 8): Malaysia’s steel industry has faced both economic and environmental challenges in recent years, with rapidly increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and rising overcapacity. The Steel Industry Roadmap 2035 (SIR), launched on Sept 29, aims to address both of these challenges.
The SIR contains a range of novel policy ideas, including a push for green steel standards and a green steel public procurement mandate, the creation of a “carbon competitiveness fund” financed through carbon taxes, a pledge to prohibit construction of new blast furnaces, and various other initiatives to encourage high value-added steel production in Malaysia. These are all important measures and in line with the broader aspiration of the Malaysian government to achieve net zero GHG emissions by 2050.
The way in which the SIR and other “roadmaps” are presented, suggests that there is clarity of where we are today (the starting line), the end goal (the destination), and how to get there (the instruments and execution timeline). It is therefore important to ask what data and assumptions back documents like the SIR, and if the proposed strategies are credible — and likely to be implemented.
The report follows a typical strategy consulting framework, and is relatively light on real data, details, and specifics: there are no appendices to support claims, nor a reference list. This is not an issue of the SIR alone, but also found in other roadmaps, blueprints and masterplans, commonly written with the help of international strategy consultants.
The one-page methodology chapter of the SIR states that various government departments and industry groups were consulted, and that unnamed “research, white papers and economic studies” were reviewed. Table 4-1 names four specific sources, which are presumably considered to be the most authoritative by the authors. They include the Foresight Study on the Iron and Steel Industry and the 2024 report from the Independent Committee on the Iron and Steel Industry.
However, none of these reports is publicly available, so the public (including academics) cannot know on which facts and deliberations the SIR is based.
This lack of transparency matters, because some of the data in the SIR raises questions. For example, the SIR states that steel production capacity utilisation in Malaysia is 69.9%, whereas industry sources note a far lower utilisation rate of 39.1%.
In terms of renewable energy (RE) use, the SIR uses figures from the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), citing 31% RE for 2026, 40% by 2035 and 70% by 2050.
However, the NETR figures refer to installed capacity, not to actual generation. As Malaysia’s growth in RE is expected to come primarily from solar energy, 70% RE capacity will only lead to 22% RE generation.
Without the necessary RE, it is not possible to produce low-emissions steel, and 22% RE is clearly insufficient to meet the demand of the sector and the whole economy under a net zero target.
The SIR also notes a 45% reduction in emission intensity by 2030. However, this goal does not appear to refer to the steel industry at all. It likely refers to Malaysia’s national GHG emission reduction target. This target is based on a 2005 baseline, a period when emissions from Malaysia’s steel industry were still very low. The inclusion of such figures is confusing at best.
Carbon pricing is an integral part of any decarbonisation strategy. By pricing emissions, steel producers can make a business case for producing low-carbon steel, thus unlocking private-sector investment.
Although carbon pricing was again announced in Budget 2025, the SIR states that carbon pricing will be introduced as early as 2026…or as late as 2035. The SIR also makes no mention of how high the carbon price will be, nor about the size of the proposed “carbon competitiveness fund” for the steel industry.
Our own research suggests that a carbon price of around RM200 per ton can lead to meaningful shifts towards low-carbon steel production. Such a tax could raise RM3 billion in annual revenue.
For investors, clarity about the timeline and quantum of carbon pricing are critically important when deciding to invest in low-carbon steel production, as are the availability of upstream inputs like RE and green hydrogen. The SIR appears to provide no clarity on these points. Thus, while the roadmap provides a direction of travel, its limited transparency makes it difficult to discern if the starting line has been correctly identified.
The SIR contains many positive and genuinely exciting proposals about transforming the steel sector. To realise the full potential described in the document, it needs to be followed by a credible execution strategy. Despite being described as a “national contract”, roadmaps, blueprints and masterplans like the SIR or NETR, are essentially a wish list. Their real impact lies in deploying policy instruments to align investment decisions made in the present (and in the immediate future) with the stated goals.
At this point, there are no references to specific budget allocation to fund the transition. Timelines are vague. There are no projections of future GHG emissions, or RE and green hydrogen demand. Regulatory agencies will be reformed to increase their effectiveness, but it is unclear from the document how this will be done. There is no framework to monitor the implementation of the roadmap and guarantee its execution (and revisions based on new data) across multiple years (and governments), as required for an industry of long-term investments like steel. Without such information and openness, investors will likely stay on the sidelines. The SIR introduces innovative ideas that could serve as a model for decarbonising Malaysia’s heavy industry, which makes it all the more important that it be underpinned by transparent data, robust assumptions, and clear strategies for full implementation.
Pieter E Stek is a senior lecturer and Renato Lima-de-Oliveira an associate professor at the Asia School of Business in Kuala Lumpur. They are also the authors of a recent Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) policy brief: Carbon Pricing for the Malaysian Steel Industry: Incentivising Sustainable Growth.
Originally published by The Edge.
MALAYSIA’S reputation as the world’s second-largest producer of palm oil is built not only on sprawling estates owned by major conglomerates but also on the modest plots tended by independent smallholders.
These farmers, often managing only a few hectares, account for nearly one-fifth of the nation’s planted area.
Their collective success or failure will determine whether the industry can meet global sustainability standards while sustaining livelihoods across rural Malaysia.
For decades, smallholders have been viewed as the weakest link in palm oil’s global supply chain.
Without the technical knowledge, capital or networks of big players, they were often excluded from certification schemes and sidelined in policy debates.
That narrative, however, is shifting.
A growing ecosystem of support programmes, led by companies like SD Guthrie Bhd’s downstream arm, NGOs such as Solidaridad, and research institutions like the Center for Sustainable Small-owners (CSS) at the Asia School of Business, is beginning to change how smallholders are seen and how they see themselves.
These efforts are not abstract. They translate into better farm records, more efficient fertiliser use, income diversification and, in some cases, yields that rival the best plantations.
They also produce compelling stories of resilience and determination.
When The Malaysian Reserve (TMR) spoke to Rosli Abdul Rahman, the first thing he shared was not his oil palms but his logbook.
The farmer from Johor now manages five farms, having started with just one when he joined the CSS programme in 2021.
Under the scheme, he has pushed his yield to 36.8 metric tonnes per hectare (MT/ha), more than double the national average of 17MT/ha.
Rosli explained that his progress stems from a disciplined approach to daily work and record-keeping.
Every activity on his farm is written down, from fertiliser applications to harvest volumes. This habit allows him to analyse what works and what needs improvement.
His focus on consistency, he told TMR, has become part of his identity.
“You begin with a good attitude. From attitude comes discipline. And when you stick with it long enough, it becomes part of your culture,” he said.
Rosli’s discipline extends beyond paperwork. He has built a routine that ensures tasks are done on time, from pruning to fertilising.
This has not only improved yields but also created a model that other farmers can observe.
He now serves as a mentor within Pertubuhan Tani Niaga Lestari Negeri Johor (Pertaniaga), the independent smallholder association supported by CSS in Johor.
Rosli added that the recognition he recently received from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, through the 2025 Anugerah Tokoh Pekebun Kecil Sawit, reinforced the value of discipline.
“Once you find what works for your farm, keep at it. God willing, it will lead to success,” he advised.
Every activity on his farm is written down, from fertiliser applications to harvest volumes. This habit allows him to analyse what works and what needs improvement.
His focus on consistency, he told TMR, has become part of his identity.
“You begin with a good attitude. From attitude comes discipline. And when you stick with it long enough, it becomes part of your culture,” he said.
Rosli’s discipline extends beyond paperwork. He has built a routine that ensures tasks are done on time, from pruning to fertilising.
This has not only improved yields but also created a model that other farmers can observe.
He now serves as a mentor within Pertubuhan Tani Niaga Lestari Negeri Johor (Pertaniaga), the independent smallholder association supported by CSS in Johor.
Rosli added that the recognition he recently received from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, through the 2025 Anugerah Tokoh Pekebun Kecil Sawit, reinforced the value of discipline.
“Once you find what works for your farm, keep at it. God willing, it will lead to success,” he advised.
A former civil servant, she converted the land from a rubber plantation and managed it together with her late husband.
When he died in 2021, she took full charge, eventually becoming one of the first women to join CSS programme.
Hamisah’s yields have risen from 38 tonnes to 42 tonnes annually in just three years. But her story is not only about numbers.
She has become a leader in her community, ensuring other women are not left behind. She often drives neighbours to training sessions in her van and shares lessons openly.
“I teach them how to fertilise based on the right measurement and the proper use of personal protective equipments (PPEs),” she shared with TMR, emphasising that attention to small details prevents larger problems.
At first, Hamisah admitted to being hesitant about joining the programme. Yet she now sees clear benefits.
“If we do not teach our community, who will?” she asked.
Hamisah also highlighted challenges. Finding reliable labour is difficult and she often takes on fertilising herself to ensure schedules are met.
She believes agriculture should be introduced earlier in schools, so the next generation views farming as dignified work.
Her insistence that women participate more actively in agriculture is also reshaping community norms, giving a new face to palm oil’s sustainability drive.
The corporate sector’s role in supporting smallholders is central.
SD Guthrie downstream sustainability head Mark Wong told TMR that the company works with about 35,000 smallholders globally, including 2,000 in Malaysia through the SD Guthrie Solidaridad-Colgate programme.
He explained that in Malaysia, the relationship is indirect, since independent smallholders sell to traders before the fruit reaches SD Guthrie’s mills.
To bridge this gap, the company partnered with Solidaridad and Colgate-Palmolive Co to run a landscape-level initiative in Bera, Pahang.
“The involvement of brands like Colgate, who are far downstream, shows that sustainability is now a shared responsibility across the supply chain,” Wong said.
The programme has trained more than 2,100 farmers in Malaysia, surpassing the initial target of 1,800.
Training focuses on good agricultural practices such as pest management, fertiliser use and waterway protection.
Farmers also receive administrative support, including help with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) licensing and compliance with the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) standard.
Wong explained that feedback has been positive but stressed that results take time. Building trust and measuring yield improvements can take years.
He added that the programme is now preparing for a second phase.
“Working with smallholders is not just a one or two-year project. It is something you really need to put in for the long term,” he told TMR.
For CSS director Professor Asad Ata, the stakes are clear. He said beyond certificates, the research institution celebrates the change small-holders unlocks for livelihoods and communities.
He explained that the CSS programme, launched with support from P&G and Temasek Foundation, has certified nearly 900 farmers and helped many improve yields by up to 35% over three to four years.
Certified farmers also receive premiums of RM20 to RM25/MT, creating financial incentives for sustainable practices.
Asad said the core of the programme is community empowerment. By organising farmers into associations like Pertaniaga, small-holders gain bargaining power and peer learning opportunities. Model farms serve as demonstration plots, showing others what is possible when good practices are adopted.
He acknowledged that challenges remain systemic. Independent smallholders often manage fragmented plots of less than 1ha, lack direct links to mills and face grading standards designed for larger estates.
These factors reduce their bargaining power and discourage investment in better practices.
To overcome this, Asad recommended a holistic approach: Support during replanting years when income is low, yield intensification programmes once palms mature and digital traceability tools to meet evolving standards like the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
He also urged more horizontal partnerships among NGOs and vertical partnerships across the supply chain.
“The future of sustainable palm oil depends on whether smallholders feel motivated. There has to be a business case for them, not just a compliance burden,” he told TMR.
On the other hand, Solidaridad country manager Law Chu Chien said Perak’s landscape illustrates the stakes.
As Malaysia’s second-largest state for smallholders, accounting for 17.5% of the total planted area, its proximity to central forest spines requires careful balance between farming and conservation.
He explained that this is why Solidaridad partnered with SD Guthrie and Colgate-Palmolive.
“The involvement of private corporations such as SD Guthrie and Colgate-Palmolive is crucial in supporting sustainable development among smallholders through knowledge sharing and capacity building,” he told TMR.
Beyond training, Solidaridad promotes income diversification, such as oyster mushroom cultivation, to help farmers cope with low yield periods caused by replanting or weather.
Communications officer Maria Ariessa Mohd Tahir shared that the ultimate goal is compliance with MSPO through consistent application of good agricultural practices.
“The ultimate goal for our project is to ensure smallholders’ compliance to national standards (MSPO) through consistent GAP application in their farms,” she told TMR.
She explained that Solidaridad’s trainers conduct field visits and interviews to verify that farmers adopt what they have learned.
Trainers also help smallholders register with MPOB, opening doors to services and digital traceability platforms such as Sims and GeoSawit. These tools are increasingly critical as farmers prepare for EUDR requirements.
Maria Ariessa further outlined Solidaridad’s sustainability assessment matrix, which scores farmers on economic, legal, environmental and social criteria.
This twice-yearly assessment classifies smallholders as low, medium or high risk, guiding targeted support.
By improving efficiency and fertiliser management, the matrix reduces pressure for land expansion while encouraging climate-resilient farming.
The stories of Rosli and Hamisah, together with corporate and NGO perspectives, highlight a common theme in which sustainability is not an abstract concept but a lived practice.
For Rosli, it is about keeping a disciplined logbook while for Hamisah, it is about driving neighbours to training sessions.
For Wong, it is about long-term engagement with farmers he may never meet directly while for Asad, it is about systemic reform.
For Solidaridad, it is about risk matrices that translate sustainability into measurable progress.
Malaysia has more than 275,000 independent small-holders. Together, they hold the key to whether the industry can improve yields without opening new land, comply with stricter international rules and prove that sustainability and livelihoods are not opposing goals.
The path forward is complex. Smallholders face labour shortages, volatile prices and systemic disadvantages in how their produce is graded and marketed.
Yet as the stories from Johor and Perak show, change is possible.
When smallholders are empowered with knowledge, supported by institutions and connected to fairer markets, they become not the weakest link but the most important one.
As Asad told TMR, the goal is not only to certify farmers but to transform communities. The measure of success, he argued, is whether smallholders feel ownership of the sustainability agenda — whether discipline, diversification and digital tools become second nature.
That transformation is already visible in the ledgers of Rosli, the fertiliser routines of Hamisah, the training modules of Solidaridad and the supply chain partnerships of SD Guthrie.
It is a reminder that the future of palm oil will not be decided only in corporate boardrooms or international negotiations.
It will also be decided on the small plots of land where Malaysian farmers choose, each day, to farm differently.
Originally published by The Malaysian Reserve.
KUALA LUMPUR: Kerajaan sedang mengumpul data perhutanan daripada semua kerajaan negeri untuk diserahkan sebagai maklumat terkini kepada Pertubuhan Makanan dan Pertanian (FAO) pada tahun depan, kata Menteri Perladangan dan Komoditi, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani.
Oleh itu, beliau menggesa semua kerajaan negeri memainkan peranan dengan menghantar data yang tepat dan terkini berkaitan aktiviti yang berlaku di hutan negeri masing-masing kepada Kementerian Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar (NRES).
“Sebuah jawatankuasa yang dianggotai (wakil) Kementerian Perladangan dan Komoditi (KPK) dan NRES akan bekerjasama dalam usaha mengumpul serta menyelaras data tersebut,” katanya pada sidang media selepas majlis pelancaran pakatan Minyak Sawit Mampan Malaysia (MSPO) Impact Alliance, di sini, hari ini.
MSPO Impact Alliance adalah platform pelbagai pemegang kepentingan yang diwujudkan bagi mengukuhkan penerajuan Malaysia dalam minyak sawit mampan.
Johari berkata MSPO Impact Alliance membolehkan Malaysia menguji pendekatan baharu, menangani cabaran di lapangan, dan memanfaatkan inovasi yang mengukuhkan kedudukan MSPO dan Malaysia di pasaran global.
“Melalui peranannya sebagai platform berstruktur bagi kerjasama, pakatan itu menghimpun bersama kerajaan, industri, pembiaya dan masyarakat awam yang akan bersama-sama mencapai penyelesaian dan berkongsi tanggungjawab.
“Ini mewujudkan peluang untuk inisiatif seperti sandbox kesediaan Peraturan Penebangan Hutan Kesatuan Eropah (EUDR) bagi pekebun kecil, yang akan memetakan dan mendokumentasikan plot pekebun kecil untuk memenuhi keperluan EUDR sambil memastikan pekebun kecil dapat disepadukan sepenuhnya ke dalam perdagangan global,” katanya menerusi ucapan beliau pada majlis pelancaran itu.
Beliau berkata sebagai medan ujian bagi inovasi, pakatan itu menyediakan struktur untuk membangunkan model baharu yang menghubungkan kemampanan dengan daya saing.
Menurutnya, sejajar dengan elemen teras MSPO mengenai perlindungan buruh dan hak asasi manusia, pakatan itu boleh merintis cara untuk mengukuhkan lagi perlindungan pekerja dengan membangunkan saluran mudah dan selamat kepada pekerja, termasuk pekerja asing, untuk menyuarakan masalah mereka.
“Pakatan itu juga boleh membuka laluan baharu bagi kemajuan alam sekitar. Strategi penanaman semula yang menyepadukan koridor biodiversiti dan penyerapan karbon boleh menunjukkan bahawa kita boleh menanam pokok kelapa sawit dan dalam masa yang sama melindungi alam semula jadi,” kata Johari. – BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia memantapkan lagi usaha kelestarian dalam industri sawit dengan pelancaran MSPO Impact Alliance, yang turut disertai wakil pekebun kecil sawit bagi meningkatkan kredibiliti dan kemantapan pensijilan Minyak Sawit Lestari Malaysia (MSPO) di pentas dunia.
MSPO Impact Alliance disokong oleh 28 ahli pengasas termasuk syarikat barangan pengguna bergerak pantas (FMCG) global, penanam ladang, wakil pekebun kecil, persatuan industri, masyarakat awam, institusi kewangan, badan pensijilan, badan pemikir dan organisasi antarabangsa.
Menteri Perladangan dan Komoditi, Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani pada majlis pelancaran itu berkata, MSPO Impact Alliance menunjukkan keazaman Malaysia untuk bekerjasama dengan pelbagai pemegang taruh bagi mencipta penyelesaian inklusif yang bukan saja akan melindungi alam sekitar tetapi juga mengukuhkan reputasi sebagai rakan kongsi yang dipercayai dan bertanggungjawab dalam perdagangan global.
Beliau berkata, tujuannya jelas iaitu untuk menginstitusikan kerjasama dan memastikan keterangkuman merentas rantaian bekalan.
Selain itu, katanya, MSPO Impact Alliance menyediakan saluran maklum balas berstruktur untuk ahli pengasas membentuk bersama-sama evolusi piawaian MSPO, mengambil bahagian dalam inisiatif perintis yang menguji penyelesaian praktikal mendahului peraturan global baharu dan mengukuhkan penerimaan antarabangsa MSPO dalam kalangan pembeli dan pengawal selia global.
Menurutnya, MSPO Impact Alliance membolehkan negara menguji pendekatan baharu, menangani cabaran di lapangan dan membuka kunci inovasi yang mengukuhkan kedudukan MSPO dan Malaysia dalam pasaran global.
“Melalui peranannya sebagai platform berstruktur untuk kerjasama, MSPO Impact Alliance menyatukan kerajaan, industri, pembiaya dan masyarakat sivil di mana tanggungjawab dikongsi dan penyelesaian dibentuk secara bersama.
“Ini mewujudkan peluang untuk inisiatif seperti ‘sandbox’ kesediaan Peraturan Penebangan Hutan Kesatuan Eropah (EUDR) pekebun kecil, yang akan memetakan dan mendokumentasi plot pekebun kecil untuk memenuhi keperluan EUDR sambil memastikan pekebun kecil kekal bersepadu sepenuhnya ke dalam perdagangan global,” katanya.
Sementara itu, Pengerusi MSPO, Mohd Haris Mohd Arshad, berkata MSPO Impact Alliance adalah mengenai membuka potensi pensijilan nasional dalam memacu impak dunia sebenar.
Beliau berkata, dengan merintis inisiatif praktikal dan membentuk dasar bersama pihak pemegang taruh, pihaknya memastikan MSPO kekal relevan, boleh dipercayai dan diterima di peringkat global.
“Inilah cara kami menjadikan kemampanan inklusif dengan memastikan pekebun kecil, pekerja dan industri mendapat manfaat daripada perjalanan itu,” katanya.
MSPO Impact Alliance akan berfungsi sebagai platform berstruktur untuk kerjasama, menjadi hab untuk maklum balas, inovasi dan pertukaran kepakaran kolektif.
Ia akan menyediakan saluran rasmi untuk pihak pemegang taruh untuk berkongsi input dan memastikan MSPO kekal sejajar dengan penanda aras antarabangsa, di samping bertindak sebagai tempat ujian untuk penyelesaian baharu seperti kebolehkesanan lanjutan, pembiayaan mampan, model perkongsian kos dan mekanisme rantaian bekalan inklusif yang bertujuan menyampaikan penambahbaikan yang ketara di seluruh industri.
Bagi ahli, ia bermakna dapat membentuk bersama-sama evolusi piawaian MSPO, mengambil bahagian dalam inisiatif perintis yang menguji penyelesaian praktikal mendahului peraturan global baharu dan menyumbang kepada perbincangan dasar negara yang membimbing masa depan sektor minyak sawit Malaysia.
Dengan berbuat demikian, ahli juga akan mengukuhkan peranan mereka dalam memajukan rantaian bekalan yang bertanggungjawab dan inklusif, sambil menyumbang kepada pengiktirafan Malaysia yang semakin meningkat sebagai rakan kongsi yang dipercayai dan telus dalam perdagangan global.
Usaha itu berdasarkan pengiktirafan baru-baru ini oleh Kesatuan Eropah (EU) bahawa pensijilan MSPO ialah skim kemampanan yang boleh dipercayai dengan sistem kebolehkesanan digital standard tinggi yang boleh memudahkan pengendali pematuhan terhadap Peraturan Penebangan Hutan EU (EUDR) apabila mendapatkan sumber pertanian bebas penebangan hutan dan sah dari Malaysia.
MSPO Impact Alliance akan membina momentum itu untuk memperdalam pengiktirafan antarabangsa dan penerimaan pasaran MSPO.
Antara inisiatif perintis yang berpotensi di bawah MSPO Impact Alliance ialah inisiatif untuk menyediakan pekebun kecil agar mematuhi EUDR, menanda aras piawaian MSPO terhadap keperluan sumber bertanggungjawab syarikat FMCG global dan membangunkan model perkongsian kos yang telus untuk menyokong perjalanan kelestarian pekebun kecil.
MSPO Impact Alliance juga akan meneroka instrumen pembiayaan inovatif yang dikaitkan dengan pensijilan, strategi penanaman semula yang memulihkan biodiversiti, dan mekanisme aduan dan aduan yang dipermudahkan yang direka untuk mengukuhkan perlindungan pekerja termasuk pekerja asing, dengan memastikan kebimbangan mereka dapat dibangkitkan dan diselesaikan dengan cara yang tepat pada masanya dan telus.
KUALA LUMPUR, 12 September – Penerapan Kecerdasan Buatan (AI) dalam operasi perniagaan berpotensi melonjakkan tahap produktiviti firma-firma di rantau ASEAN sehingga tiga kali ganda dalam tempoh beberapa tahun akan datang.
Menurut Profesor Amalan AI dan Teknologi, Asia School Of Business, Profesor David Asirvatham, perkembangan pesat AI berupaya melonjakkan hasil pendapatan syarikat serta meningkatkan kemakmuran ekonomi serantau.
”Untuk mengoptimumkan manfaat teknologi ini, negara-negara ASEAN perlu membangunkan kerangka pengawalseliaan data bersama, agar sumber dapat dikongsi secara lebih menyeluruh dan pertumbuhan dapat dicapai secara kolektif.
“Dengan bekerjasama, kita mampu memperkukuh kekuatan serantau dalam menghadapi revolusi AI,” katanya selepas bersiaran secara langsung dalam Program Biz Malaysia di Angkasapuri di sini.
Peranan AI dalam bidang pendidikan juga harus diperkasa dengan menyepadukannya dalam setiap modul pembelajaran, agar generasi muda lebih bersedia.
Katanya, teknologi itu seharusnya digunakan untuk meningkatkan kemahiran melalui inovasi dan kreativiti, dan bukan sebaliknya.
“Pelajar perlu diajar bagaimana menggunakan AI secara bijak, bukan sekadar menjadikan ia alat untuk menghasilkan tugasan, tetapi sebagai platform pembelajaran bagi menambah ilmu dan kemahiran,” tambah beliau.
So why should Asia’s tertiary education systems – from Malaysia to Vietnam – be any different from those in the Western world? They, too, should be embedded with flexibility.
Based on the examples provided below, and without delving into the financial mathematics, it would enhance one’s educational experience and value far more than a system without such flexibility. In economics, we refer to this as being on the Pareto efficiency frontier, where resources and opportunities are allocated in the most efficient manner.
Flexibility holds intrinsic value in various aspects of life – careers, investment plans, and policymaking. A key reason for this is the uncertainty that surrounds future outcomes. Whether it is predicting the trajectory of financial markets, the global economy, the exchange rate of the Vietnamese dong, or even getting into a car accident, our ability to foresee the future is inherently limited.
This unpredictability is evident in the changing demands of the workforce. In Vietnam, more than 50 percent of students are expected to access online education by 2025, with universities increasingly offering remote and flexible degree programmes. At the same time, all learners and educators will be managed through digital IDs and platforms, signalling a nationwide push for reskilling and upskilling. With rapid growth in sectors such as high-tech manufacturing, IT, healthcare, and renewable energy, Vietnam’s job market is evolving fast – and so must its education system.
At the same time, companies in Vietnam are rethinking how they attract and retain talent, placing increased emphasis on hybrid work models, digital hiring platforms, and internal talent mobility. Meanwhile, job seekers are seeking meaningful careers with better work-life integration, ongoing professional development, and competitive compensation. These dynamics underscore the need for an educational system that can keep pace with change.
To support this shift, Vietnam’s National Digital Transformation Programme sets ambitious targets for 2025. Education is one of the priority sectors, with goals including personalised learning through digital platforms and the integration of AI tools in classrooms. The broader plan also aims for the digital economy to contribute 20 percent to the country’s GDP, and for most government services to be accessible via mobile devices. These efforts reflect a strong national commitment to building a future-ready, flexible education ecosystem.
Consider the current unpredictability of global events and their implications for education. In today’s rapidly changing world, traditional systems may no longer suffice. For instance, educational models that rigidly define paths without accommodating individual needs or interests risk leaving many behind. Additionally, the prevailing uncertainty presents a tremendous opportunity for ASEAN countries to collaborate for the betterment of humanity in the region, particularly in the field of education.
This is where the concept of flexibility becomes critical in education. Allowing learners to tailor their journeys based on personal or professional goals, or even unforeseen circumstances, enhances the overall value of education. Gap years, modular learning, and asynchronous courses are examples of how education systems can adapt to accommodate diverse needs.
Across the ASEAN region, there is growing recognition of the need for adaptive learning structures. Prestigious institutions have adopted models that allow students to pause their studies, explore interdisciplinary fields, or even take courses remotely. These practices not only enrich the individual learning experience but also contribute to society by fostering creativity, resilience, and adaptability among learners.
Take, for example, the emergence of digital and online learning in the last decade. Universities worldwide such as MIT, Cornell University, and Yale University have embraced this shift, offering remote learners access to high-quality courses and programs. From engineering in Patagonia to business analytics in Ho Chi Minh City, technology has bridged the gap between learners and education, bringing opportunities that were once out of reach.
In Southeast Asia, the Asia School of Business has introduced Agile Continuous Education (ACE), a flexible approach to upskilling that allows learners to accumulate course credits at their own pace, with the option to transition into full-time or part-time degree programs in case a terminal postgraduate degree is desired by the learners.
The economic value of flexibility in education extends beyond individual growth. It benefits employers by creating a more adaptable workforce and society by encouraging lifelong learning. According to LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report, 94 percent of employees say they would stay at a company longer if it invested in their learning and development – a testament to the importance of education that adapts to evolving career trajectories.
As education systems across ASEAN continue to evolve, the emphasis should remain on quality and accessibility. Agile learning methods, stackable courses, and modular degree options are examples of how institutions can make education more inclusive and relevant. These innovations represent a step toward a future where learning is not just a phase of life but a continuous, adaptive journey.
Educational institutions in ASEAN and around the world are already setting the stage for this transformation. By embracing flexibility, we can create an ecosystem that supports learners at every stage of their journey – and, in doing so, prepare for a future where uncertainty is the only certainty.
Originally published by Tuoi Tre News .
The Biz ASEAN episode titled “AI and the ASEAN Future” explores the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) across the ASEAN region, focusing on its impact on economies, societies, and daily lives. The show highlights the increasing importance of AI as a new economic engine, replacing traditional drivers like trade and commerce. CIMB Group Holdings’ recent pioneering sustainability report on nature and biodiversity is introduced as a key example of regional innovation aligned with environmental responsibility. Market updates reveal cautious investor sentiment amid global inflation data and mixed regional stock performances. The core of the episode features an in-depth interview with Professor David Asirvatham, an AI expert, who demystifies AI, emphasizing its practical applications in everyday life and business. He explains AI’s evolution from the 1950s to today’s widespread usage in navigation, healthcare, and administrative tasks. Professor David advocates for ASEAN countries to collaborate on a unified AI governance framework and develop region-specific AI models that reflect local cultures and data. He stresses the importance of government-led AI strategies, upskilling, and ethical frameworks to balance innovation with responsibility. The discussion also addresses risks such as bias, transparency issues, and cognitive deskilling, urging continuous learning and adaptation. The episode concludes by encouraging individuals and businesses to embrace AI proactively, highlighting its inevitability and transformative potential in shaping ASEAN’s future.
Summary by AI.
