PENANG SCIENCE CLUSTER @ BAGAN LAUNCH
SPEECH BY YAB TUAN CHOW KON YEOW
THE CHIEF MINISTER OF PENANG
PENANG SCIENCE CLUSTER @ BAGAN LAUNCH
23RD SEPTEMBER 2023
YB Tuan Daniel Gooi
EXCO of Youth, Sports and Health
YB Tuan Lim Guan Eng
MP of Bagan
YB Chee Yeeh Keen
ADUN of Bagan Jermal
YB Kumaran Krishnan
ADUN of Bagan Dalam
Dato’ Ooi Peng Ee
CEO of Penang Science Cluster
PSC Board of Directors
MBSP Councillors,
Industry captains,
Distinguished guests,
Members of the media,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning.
It is a great pleasure to see all of you gathered here today, including esteemed YBs from Seberang Perai and captains from various industries, to witness the inauguration of the Penang Science Cluster's newest endeavour, namely PSC@Bagan. Today, we mark a significant milestone in our journey towards advancing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in Penang, particularly in the mainland, and more specifically, Seberang Perai Utara.
As Dato' Ooi mentioned earlier, PSC@Bagan represents a pivotal moment for STEM education in Penang. This state-of-the-art facility will not only reduce the travel time for students in Seberang Perai attending Penang Science Cluster's full-day workshops but also provide advanced equipment at their disposal in PSC@Bagan's MakerLab. This resource-rich environment will enable our young talents to explore, innovate, and experiment, paving the way for a brighter future.
PSC@Bagan is just one piece of the puzzle. The State Government has made substantial investments in fixed infrastructure projects to promote STEM learning in our schools. Initiatives such as establishing 123 MakerLabs in schools and implementing 5G Digital Libraries with high-speed internet access in 88 schools demonstrate our commitment to nurturing our students' potential.
Furthermore, the State Government has supported mobile infrastructure programmes led by the Penang Science Cluster, including Labs-on-Wheels and Coding-For-All. These programmes deliver hands-on technology workshops directly to our students in schools to enrich their learning experiences.
All of these investments aim to empower our students to realize their full potential, becoming the technical talent that Penang needs to drive its economy forward. We must also acknowledge the invaluable support from the industry. Many companies, some of which are represented here today, collaborate with PSC on various programmes, inspiring the next generation in science, technology, and innovation, ultimately encouraging them to pursue careers in these fields.
Let me highlight a few programmes that are truly unique and only available in Penang:
1. The "Girls in Engineering and Technology" programme which offers Form 4 and Form 5 girl students the chance to develop their technical and soft skills while being mentored by successful women engineers and professionals from the industry. They even get to visit high-tech work environments, providing them with a glimpse of their future potential as engineers and scientists.
2. The "FIRST Tech Challenge,", which is the most advanced robotics competition for secondary school students in Malaysia, where the winners is grated the opportunity to compete in the United States against the best in the world. This competition is a unique opportunity available only to students in Penang.
3. The "TECH Start" programme, which provides our B40 students with a head start as trainee technicians immediately after their SPM exams, allowing them to earn a salary while building their technical careers. This initiative is a game-changer for these students.
I am glad that these programmes were conceived by the Penang Science Cluster in collaboration with the industry and will soon expand to benefit students across the nation.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Speaking of national reach, I want to commend PSC's ongoing "Girls in STEM" programme, which delivers science and technology workshops to girls in rural schools and communities across six states in Malaysia, namely Kedah, Kelantan, Trengganu, Pahang, Sabah, and Sarawak. This meaningful programme is made possible by a generous RM850,000 grant from AVPN, a philanthropic organization committed to creating lasting social impact by providing equitable opportunities and increasing access to STEM education for underrepresented populations in Asia.
While I cannot possibly mention all the remarkable programmes offered by PSC, the essential message is clear: we are shaping a future where STEM education is not just an option but a fundamental building block of success. The Penang Science Cluster, together with our partners in government and industry, is fully committed in bridging gaps, breaking barriers, and inspiring generations.
In conclusion, the inauguration of PSC@Bagan is more than the opening of a new facility. It symbolizes a beacon of hope, a symbol of progress, and a testament to the power of collaboration. Let us continue to stand united in our mission to cultivate the next generation of innovators, engineers, scientists, and technology leaders. Together, we will propel Penang into a future driven by knowledge, creativity, and relentless determination, in line with the Penang2030 vision of ‘A Family-Focused Green and Smart State that Inspires the Nation’.
With said that, I hereby, with great pleasure, officially launch PSC@Bagan.
Thank you all, and may PSC@Bagan be a symbol of our commitment to the advancement of STEM education both in Penang and Malaysia.