Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	PUTRA WORLD TRADE CENTRE, 
			KUALA LUMPUR 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	12/11/97 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	THE 11TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND 
			EXHIBITION OF THE ASIAN ASSOCIATION 
			OF OPEN UNIVERSITIES 



     1.  It  is  indeed  an  honour for  me  to  address  this
    distinguished  gathering at the opening ceremony  of  the
    11th  Annual  Conference  and  Exhibition  of  the  Asian
    Association of Open Universities.
    
    2.    Let  me  begin  by defining what  I  understand  by
    distance  learning.  A little over fifty  years  ago,  in
    the  middle  of  this  century, in the  context  of  this
    country,  distance learning was appropriately defined  as
    having  to  walk five miles or more from home to  school.
    For  my  generation,  for most of us,  distance  learning
    meant  walking  bare-footed to  an  ill-equipped  school.
    Now,  fifty  years  later, at the turn  of  the  century,
    distance  learning has taken on a whole new meaning.   It
    refers  to situations where the learner and the  educator
    are  separated  by  distance, may  be  even  time,  using
    telecommunications    and    electronic    devices     to
    interactively follow the lessons.  It allows the  learner
    to  study  at his own time, place and pace.  In  essence,
    distance   learning  means  having  the  school  teaching
    environment  brought  to the home or  anywhere  that  the
    student  chooses to be.  Physical attendance  in  lecture
    rooms is no longer necessary.
    
    3.    In  Malaysia,  education has always  been  accorded
    high  priority because we have always regarded  education
    as  the  key  to  personal and national  progress.   Ever
    since  independence  some  20  percent  of  the  national
    budget  has been allocated to education.  Parents  endure
    many  sacrifices in order that their children  could  get
    the best education possible.
    
    4.   In our Vision 2020 we targeted the achievement of  a
    fully  developed nation for Malaysia by 2020.  To achieve
    this  we  need  a  highly  educated  and  highly  trained
    population.   We expect 40 percent of our  population  to
    have  access  to  tertiary  education  compared  to  13.9
    percent  at present.  To do this we will have  to  resort
    to  distance learning more and more.  This is because the
    number  of teachers or trainers will increase at a  lower
    rate than students.
    
    5.    Accordingly,  since 1995 the  National  Budget  has
    made  special  mention  about  distance  learning.    The
    Finance  Minister  declared  that  all  institutions   of
    higher  learning should introduce courses to upgrade  the
    knowledge  and skills of working people through  distance
    learning, if they had not already done so.
    
    6.    As  a  matter  of fact, distance  learning  in  the
    modern  sense  is not new in Malaysia.  In 1971  a  local
    university began what was then called off campus  courses
    patterned  after  the  Open  University  in  the   United
    Kingdom.    Today  almost  all  institutions  of   higher
    learning  that  are  Government  funded  are  offering  a
    variety  of  courses through their own distance  learning
    programmes.    In   the  private  sector   correspondence
    courses  on  various subjects have always  been  popular.
    Now  many  privately owned tertiary education  institutes
    are  also  offering many programmes of distance  learning
    in collaboration with overseas universities.
    
    7.    The  7th  Malaysia  Plan spanning  the  five  years
    between  1996  and 2000 puts distance learning  promotion
    at  an  even more crucial level.  The allocation  to  the
    Government  universities will enable those who  otherwise
    would not be going to universities but are of university-
    going  age  i.e. between 19 and 24, together  with  those
    already  working  to  get  a university  level  education
    through distance learning courses.
    
    8.    There will also be short courses aimed at upgrading
    the  knowledge  and  skills of  the  workforce  including
    those  at  the  managerial and supervisory  levels.   The
    programmes will be better structured, more organised  and
    carried  out  on  a  larger  scale  through  closer   co-
    operation  between  the institutions of  higher  learning
    and   the   commercial  sector.   New  areas  of   study,
    particularly in science, technology and management,  will
    be introduced.
    
    9.     The   serious  effort  taken  by   the   Malaysian
    government   to  expand,  strengthen  and  expedite   the
    distance  learning programmes reflect the current  world-
    wide  trend. Distance learning programmes the world  over
    are  gaining momentum and the years leading to  the  next
    millennium  promises  to be the most  challenging  period
    for  the  application of new and innovative  technologies
    and  methods of teaching so as to make the whole world  a
    challenging period for true knowledge societies.
    
    10.   In  the  information society, there is  a  definite
    shift  in  the  profile and skills of the workforce.   As
    the  economy  is increasingly becoming more dependent  on
    information and knowledge, the demand is not just  for  a
    better   educated  workforce,  but  more  importantly   a
    workforce  that  is  continually  willing  to  learn  and
    relearn through life.
    
    11.   Conventional  teaching which is  rigidly  time  and
    place-dependent  is  sufficient for the  present  limited
    knowledge-based  society.   The  demand  for   knowledge-
    workers  is not so big.  But in a knowledge-based society
    which is emerging fast, the old methods of teaching  will
    not  be  able  to produce the number and  the  levels  of
    education  needed by society.  And so not  only  must  we
    make  tertiary education available to the greatest number
    through  distance  learning but the methods  of  teaching
    must  also be changed.  As much as learning by  rote  has
    been   displaced   by  learning  through   understanding,
    distance   learning   would  require   ways   of   making
    understanding even more easily comprehensible  for  those
    less capable of reasoning and logical thinking.  It is  a
    fact  that it is  much easier  to learn how  things  work
    than why things work the  way they do.  Having learnt how
    then  the why can be more easily understood.
    
    12.  The computer has made it possible to demonstrate  in
    very  graphic terms the shape of things from every  angle
    including  interiors  and  to  turn  the  object  in  any
    direction so as to give a proper perspective of  whatever
    object  described through text or orally and  to  explain
    the  way things work.  Simulation has developed to a high
    degree  of  accuracy as to make the computer  image  more
    real.   Virtual reality is really as close to reality  as
    can  be.  The student is able to interact with the images
    and  to  ask questions and get the best answer  from  the
    best  teacher  than  if he was in a  lecture  hall  or  a
    laboratory.   With these hardware and software,  distance
    learning   has   become   an   improvement   on    direct
    conventional    teaching   in    classrooms    or    even
    laboratories.   This distance learning system  will  make
    even  those  who before were not considered qualified  to
    go  to  universities potential geniuses.  Indeed  we  are
    already   seeing  the  university  rejects  or   dropouts
    succeeding in life by learning in unconventional ways.
    
    13.   With  the  advance  in  telecommunication  distance
    learning knows no distance or time limit.  A student  may
    be  anywhere  in  the world and he will not  be  deprived
    from  education.  What is more, the education process  is
    simpler,   more  comprehensive  and  more   relevant   to
    whatever  it  is that he is doing or wants  to  do.   The
    technology  enables him to do away with inaccurate  note-
    taking since he can recall on his screen all or any  part
    of  the  lesson that he wishes to revise.  Indeed he  can
    test  himself as often as he likes so as to know his  own
    progress  and  how he would fare in an examination.   The
    only  thing  really  required  of  him  is  diligence,  a
    willingness  to sit in front of computer  screens  for  a
    reasonable  span  of time and to follow the  instructions
    and the explanations given.
    
    14.   With  distance learning the student can be  on  the
    move  without  losing  his  ability  to  study.   Through
    mobile phones and lap-tops, faxes and recordings he  will
    be   free   from  a  tight  time-table  of  lectures   or
    demonstrations.
    
    15.   In  Malaysia, these emerging technologies  will  be
    explored  and tried out in our Multimedia Super  Corridor
    project.  The MSC is a huge test-bed for trying  out  not
    just  these emerging technologies of the information  age
    and  multimedia but also the way of life in  the  age  of
    instant and unlimited information.
    
    16.   For  those  of you who may be hearing  it  for  the
    first  time, the  MSC is physically a 15 km  by  50  long
    corridor  that  runs from the world's  tallest  building,
    the  Kuala  Lumpur City Centre, in itself an  intelligent
    precinct,  to  a new electronic Government administrative
    centre, a new cyber city dedicated to multimedia  and  on
    to  the  region's  largest international  airport,  Kuala
    Lumpur  International  Airport,  KLIA,  scheduled  to  be
    operational in 1998.
    
    17.   This  piece of real estate is almost a green  field
    site   for  building  of  state-of-the  art  cities   and
    systems.   Half way between the KLCC and KLIA two  cities
    will   house  (a)  the  new  administrative  capital   of
    Malaysia  while the other (b) will be a cyber city  where
    we  will  locate  industries,  research  and  development
    facilities,   a   multimedia   university    and    other
    institutions   and   operational   head   quarters    for
    multinational    corporations   to   direct    world-wide
    manufacturing  and  trading activities using  multimedia.
    Both  cities  will  have state-of-the-art  communications
    facilities  with fibre to all offices, business  premises
    and houses.
    
    18.   We  will initiate the electronic government,  media
    industry  clusters, a web to enable companies to  operate
    world-wide  without  having to do much  physical  travel,
    smart  schools and the most effective systems of distance
    learning and telemedicine.
    
    19.    The  MSC  is  regarded  as  a  catalyst  to   push
    Malaysia's  industrialisation to  the  next  level.   The
    development  of  MSC is part of Malaysia's  new  strategy
    and  programme  to  switch  to high  technology  capital-
    intensive  industries with special focus  on  information
    and  telecommunications-based industries.   It  is  hoped
    that  part of the MSC will become a collaborative cluster
    of  universities  and corporate research and  development
    centres,  using distance learning techniques  to  produce
    world-class graduates.
    
    20.   We  hope to see a cluster of local institutions  of
    higher  learning coordinating efforts, sharing  resources
    and  facilities  and  taking advantage  of  the  emerging
    communications  technologies to strengthen  our  distance
    learning programmes.
    
    21.   We hope also to see that all local institutions  of
    higher  learning  linked  to a  host  university  located
    within  the  MSC.   Let the host university  act  as  the
    administrative  centre  serving  other  institutions   as
    participative   members.   Through   such   collaborative
    effort  concentrating  on distance  learning  programmes,
    the  government  will  effectively  create  a  huge  open
    university   without   actually   building   a   separate
    institution.   This  is  tantamount  to  a  cost   saving
    measure  on the part of the Government while an extensive
    distance     learning    programme     is     implemented
    expeditiously.
    
    22.   Through this open university concept, the  students
    are likely to be enrolled at a number of institutions  of
    higher  learning  simultaneously.   The  open  university
    will  provide students with access to local and  overseas
    lectures  and  advisors who are truly  experts  in  their
    respective  fields.   Thus  will  the  best  courses   be
    integrated  and made available to the largest  number  of
    students.
    
    23.   The  open  university concept  will  be  made  more
    effective  if  all institutions of higher learning  allow
    credit  transfer between one another's distance  learning
    courses.   The system can be made even more efficient  if
    the  distance  learning  programmes  consist  of  modular
    curriculum  design  and  partnership  can  be   developed
    between  member  institutions.  It is even  possible  for
    the  qualification  to be awarded  not  by  a  particular
    institution  but named after a particular and prestigious
    course  conducted by a group of institutions.   The  host
    university located in the MSC can coordinate the  courses
    and  administer the multi-institution programme conducted
    by   the   most   respected  teachers   from   the   best
    universities of the world.
    
    24.   Through  this concept, courses offered  can  be  at
    certificate,  diploma, undergraduate  and  even  masters'
    levels.   More importantly, modular courses, in the  mode
    of  distance learning, can be tailor-made to  suit  every
    industry.  This exercise is particularly useful in  order
    to  upgrade staff in specific field of expertise.  A good
    example is I.T literacy.
    
    25.    Recently,  Malaysia  launched  the  National   I.T
    Awareness campaign.  We talked about how Malaysians  must
    start now to master information technology if we want  to
    have  the  number  of  knowledge  workers  we  need.   We
    stressed   the  need  to  be  able  to  use   information
    technology  as  a  medium to improve  our  work  and  the
    quality  of our life.  Based on business plans  submitted
    by   131  companies,  the  MSC  alone  will  need   7,000
    specially   trained  workers  in  its   first   year   of
    operations with an increase to 12,000 in its fifth year.
    
    26.   The  question that begs to be asked is  how  do  we
    start?   We  should  not  be afraid  of  technology.   We
    should  master  it  and apply it in our  work.   We  must
    adopt  new attitudes and be open to changes brought about
    by  new  technology.   We must be willing  to  learn  and
    relearn.
    
    27.   I sincerely think distance learning is part of  the
    answer.   If the open university concept is accepted  and
    put  to  practice with a concerted effort, I  believe  we
    can  achieve the goal we have set for ourselves.  We  can
    even  achieve  the  40  percent  target  for  access   to
    tertiary  education for our population by the  year  2020
    or  earlier.   We can also achieve all these against  the
    background   of  strengthening  traditional   values   as
    stipulated in Vision 2020.
    
    28.   I  also  believe that distance learning  programmes
    offered  by  the  Malaysian  open  university  should  be
    opened  to  ASEAN  or  even Asian countries.   Since  the
    quality  of  our education will be of world standard,  we
    should  expect students from all over the  world.   After
    all  in  the  next  century  people  will  no  longer  be
    confined   to  their  own  countries.   They  will   work
    anywhere  and everywhere.  Studying at a university  with
    students  from all over the world will prepare  them  for
    the global environment they will live and work in.
    
    29.   We  are  also  encouraged  by  the  fact  that  new
    communication  and  information  technologies  offer  the
    opportunity   to  make  distance  learning  international
    through  the  use  of  interactive compact  discs,  video
    conferencing,  computer networking backed as  appropriate
    with   fax,   telephone,  electronic  mail  and   printed
    materials.
    
    30.   I would like to invite all member countries of  the
    Asian   Association  of  Open  Universities  to  consider
    making  distance  learning cross the national  boundaries
    of  the  member  countries.  Indeed  I  do  believe  that
    distance learning concept of the future would be  without
    borders.
    
    31.   In the year 2020, I see that institutions of higher
    learning that offer distance learning programmes will  be
    linked    on   a   national   and   global    scale    by
    telecommunications   technologies.    In   the    future,
    educational   systems  of  distance  learning   will   be
    globalised     by    the    emerging    telecommunication
    technologies.   Distance  learning  will  be  a  definite
    choice  apart  from full-time and part-time study  modes.
    This  will  be  much encouraged by the  desire  of  every
    individual for lifetime education.    
    
    32.   Let  me conclude my remarks by wishing  you  all  a
    very  successful conference and declare the  11th  Annual
    Conference  of the Asian Association of Open Universities
    officially opened.    

 
 



 
Google