SHAH ALAM, Oct 4 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has called on Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) to establish a Quantum Department to ensure the country does not lag behind current advancements.
He said the department is targeted to be established next year to ensure local expertise can be developed at an early stage.
“AI is indeed good and is being implemented very well, but quantum is a new technology based on the latest technological developments, and Malaysia should not lag behind in this area.
“I am very confident that its potential is immense in attracting many students to pursue studies in this field and eventually, in less than a decade, producing quantum experts in our country,” he said.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Rural and Regional Development Minister, said this after officiating the ‘Wacana Semarak Patriotisme: Seminar Ilmuwan Islam’ at the university’s Dewan Agung Tuanku Canselor here today.
Quantum technology is an advanced field of science and engineering that harnesses properties of quantum mechanics, such as superposition and entanglement of subatomic particles, to process information at extraordinary speeds.
Ahmad Zahid said his ministry would also contribute RM500,000 to UiTM to support the development of programmes such as the TVET UiTM Dihatiku training and certification programme and UTAMA PLUS UiTM AI Certified, including the development of the Quantum Department. — Bernama
