Photo caption: The essence of technological development is not simply about mastering tools, but about harnessing technology to solve real-world problems and create meaningful value.
KOTA KINABALU): Technological development is not simply about mastering tools, but about using technology to solve real-world problems and create meaningful value.
Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce (MCCC) Sabah member Ronnie Chong said that with the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI), automation and digital technologies, science, technology and innovation (STI) have become important drivers of economic and social development.
He said MCCC Sabah, led by its President Datuk Dexter Lau Wei Dick, has continued to focus on technological development, business transformation and industrial innovation. From a business and industry perspective, technology adoption should ultimately be driven by real needs — using innovation to solve problems while creating economic and social value.
“Being able to use AI does not necessarily mean knowing how to solve problems. A true technology creator must first be able to identify a problem, understand it and pinpoint the real pain points.”
Ronnie was commenting on Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Haji Hajiji Noor’s recent call for the next generation in Sabah to move beyond being merely “technology users” and progressively become “technology creators”.
He said young people today can use AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini to generate text, images and even code, but these capabilities should be regarded as a starting point. More importantly, they need to understand how to analyse problems and apply appropriate technologies to develop, test and improve solutions.
“If Sabah is to truly move from being a ‘Technology User’ to a ‘Technology Creator’, the focus should not simply be on getting more young people to learn technology, but on how technology can be used to solve Sabah’s own challenges.”
Ronnie cited areas such as agricultural productivity, public services in remote areas, digital transformation among small and medium enterprises, water resource management and biodiversity as practical fields where young Sabahans can apply technology and innovation.
As a director of Usahawan Utama Sabah Berhad Cooperative, Ronnie said the development of technology talent should not stop at classroom learning and training, but should progress towards practical testing, application and ultimately commercialisation.
“Technology is not the end goal. Solving problems and creating value are the real objectives.”
He also called for stronger collaboration among schools, universities, government agencies, research institutions, businesses and communities, while extending technological resources and opportunities to rural and interior areas so that more young people can participate in innovation.
Ronnie stressed that Sabah does not need to simply replicate the technological development models of other regions. Instead, it should develop an innovation pathway suited to its own agricultural and tourism strengths, biodiversity, geographical conditions and industry needs.
“Truly valuable innovation is not necessarily about pursuing the latest or most popular technologies, but about using the right technology to address the most real and pressing problems.”
He said when young people are able to start with real problems around them, develop solutions, apply technology, test and continuously improve those solutions until they are adopted in practice, they will have truly moved from being “technology users” to “technology creators”.
“This is the direction most worth pursuing in developing the next generation of technology talent in Sabah.”
