From Chang Lih Kang

In June, the science, technology and innovation ministry said in a parliamentary reply that it was leading the government’s efforts to develop a National Technology Sovereignty Framework.

But what does technology sovereignty mean to everyday Malaysians, when almost every chip, cloud service and line of code we depend on comes from elsewhere?

It does not mean producing everything ourselves. It means having the choice and control over critical technologies, data and infrastructure so that no external party can unilaterally dictate our options.

If geopolitical tensions disrupt supply chains, Malaysia must have alternatives. If a major cyber incident occurs, our hospitals, banks, businesses and government systems must continue operating. We also need the expertise and institutions to decide how emerging technologies should be adopted and governed.