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Showing posts with label Educational. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Educational. Show all posts

Saturday, June 10, 2023

OpenAI CEO calls for global cooperation on AI regulation, says ‘China has some of the best AI talent in the world’

 

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI (right), delivers an online speech at the conference held by the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence in Beijing on June 10, 2023. Photo: Shen Weiduo/GT

OpenAI's CEO calls on China to help shape AI safety .

OpenAI's CEO Altman Calls on China to Help Shape AI ...



Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has called for a global cooperation in setting up the regulatory guardrails for powerful artificial intelligence (AI) systems at an industry forum held in Beijing on Saturday, noting that China can play a significant role with some of its "best AI talent in the world."

"China has some of the best AI talent in the world... given the difficulties solving alignment for advanced AI systems requires the best minds from around the world," Altman said at an industry forum hosted by the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence (BAAI) on Saturday.

Altman predicted that in the next decade, artificial general intelligence systems, commonly called AGI, may surpass human expertise "in nearly every domain," and could eventually exceed the collective productivity of some of the largest companies.

"The potential upside here isn't one. AI revolution will create shared wealth and make it possible to dramatically improve the standard of living for everyone. We must manage the risk together in order to get there," Altman said.

At present, a new round of AI boom triggered by ChatGPT is sweeping the world including China. While people have been thrilled for the productivity improvement that AI can bring, they are increasingly aware of the huge risks, with governments slowly stepping in to harness the powerful yet dangerous tool. 

In May, hundreds of industry leaders, including Altman himself, have signed a letter warning that "mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war." Altman made a point to reference the IAEA, the United Nations nuclear watchdog, as an example of how the world came together to oversee nuclear power.

"We need international cooperation to build global trust in the safe development of increasingly powerful AI systems. In a verifiable way, I have no illusions that this will be easy. We will need to devote significant and sustained attention as an international community to get this right," Altman said.

In a possible indication to the current geopolitical conflict's impact on the global AI cooperation, Altman noted that "great powers may have their share of differences." This is true today, as it has been before. But even during the most difficult times, great powers have found ways to cooperate on what matters. "We see great potential for researchers in the US, China, and around the world to work together to achieve the shared goal."

Altman used an ancient Chinese proverb, "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step," in describing how the world should start on the difficult but necessary cooperation.

In talking about the next frontier that OpenAI is engaging on in a later Q&A session, Altman said OpenAI is discussing about opening source more models in the future, but does not have a specific model or timetable.

"Certainly, at some point, we'll try to do a GPT-5 model in the sequence, but not anytime soon and we don't know exactly when," Sam said, adding that he's hoping someday the company can get to return to robotics - a sector the company has worked on at the very start.

The two-day conference hosted by the BAAI has invited leading figures in the industry such as AI "godfather" Geoffrey Hinton and Turing Award winner Yann André LeCun. Apart from exchanging on AI frontiers and technology progress, this year's conference placed a special focus on AI regulation and alignment.

Industry players and experts at the forum have also emphasized on the importance of global cooperation in harnessing the "double-sword" technology, which is especially urgent as the large models are development "too fast."

"We are fully aware of the urgency of AI regulation, but under the current global situation, as some in the US are hyping China threat with AI as a key battleground, global cooperation and an international rule could be hard, though some cooperation might be achievable in certain areas,"Wang Peng, a research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Saturday at the sidelines of the event.

Looking ahead, the development of large models and major technological breakthroughs is clearly be related to the life and death of human society, Wang said, noting that it's critical for some nations to drop closed and retrogressive minds of "small courtyards and high walls," join forces together with the rest of the world, and concentrate on overcoming difficulties for the benefit of all mankind.

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Tuesday, June 6, 2023

AmLife, Sleep Well with Electric Potential Therapy Medical Device

 

 

 

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Desperate for some shut-eye


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CLICK TO ENLARGE https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/07/03/experts-cough-syrup-not-the-cure-for-insomnia

 


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FISH oil is made up of fat and oil cells extracted from fish tissue. The fat and oil are condensed into liquid or capsule form for consumption. Fishes that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as mackerel, tuna, herring and anchovies are used for this purpose. Fish oil is known to be an effective way to help reduce the risk of heart-related conditions.

Thursday, June 1, 2023

USA ‘Peeping Tom’ who constantly peeps into others’ windows should be deterred ahead of Shangri-La Dialogue

-16 fighter jets attached to an aviation brigade of the air force under the PLA Western Theater Command taxi on the runway during an aerial combat training exercise under complex electromagnetic conditions in April, 2021. Photo: eng.chinamil.com.cn


The US military's hype about the "unprofessional interception" of a PLA fighter jet at this time is suspicious and absurd. On May 30, the US Indo-Pacific Command, in a tone of victimhood, accused a PLA J-16 fighter jet of carrying out "unnecessary aggressive maneuvers" on Friday against a US RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft in the so-called "international airspace" in the South China Sea, and the Pentagon also expressed "concern."

Given the frequent use of such tactics by the US, people immediately saw through the trick. The Shangri-La Dialogue is about to commence, and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is scheduled to attend. Over the years, every US defense secretary has criticized China during the Shangri-La Dialogue, making it an entertaining show of the event. This propaganda is most likely aimed at providing material and ammunition for Austin's speech and creating a special label of "China being irresponsible" and "China threat" for the Shangri-La Dialogue.

Last year, on the eve of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Canada, the US' petty follower, issued a statement through its Department of National Defense, claiming that Canadian patrol aircraft had "multiple interactions" with PLA military aircraft and accused the PLA of not adhering to international air safety norms.

Unsurprisingly, several days later, Austin mentioned it at the Shangri-La Dialogue, and attacked China. It probably won't be any different this time, and we will see in a couple of days how Austin plays the tricks of hyping the interception up.

The US military won't reveal the truth, but let's look at where the incident occurred. Right at China's doorstep. Data shows that the US military reconnaissance aircraft involved in this incident was less than 50 kilometers away from our coastline, meaning it was flying almost along our territorial waters and intentionally intruded into the training area of the PLA Navy Flotilla 17 for reconnaissance and disturbance. The PLA's response was in accordance with the law, regulations, and professional standards.

Currently, there are almost daily instances of US reconnaissance aircraft conducting close-in reconnaissance on us, and in 2022, the number of the US' close-in military reconnaissance missions against China has more than doubled compared with a decade ago. The intensity and frequency of US military activities in the South China Sea have significantly increased, and it has even instigated its allies' military aircrafts to provoke in the South China Sea.

What is the nature of the US military's behavior? It is easy to understand: It's like a peeping Tom who constantly peeks into others' windows, which can only make people think that it has ulterior motives. And every time it is caught red-handed, Washington tries to turn the tables. But are the Chinese warships and aircrafts too close to American ones, or are American warships and planes too close to China?

If Chinese military aircrafts flew thousands of miles each year to a location a few dozen kilometers from the US' coastlines and conducted over 1,000 close-in reconnaissance missions, how would the US react? Even a Chinese civilian unmanned airship that drifted over due to force majeure caused the US to panic, and even shoot it down with fighter jets and missiles, not to mention anything else.

In real life, we can call the police if we encounter a peeping Tom. But in the international community consisting of sovereign states, there is no police station to enforce the law to maintain justice and righteousness. What's more, the criminal even calls itself the "world police." The US military commits its perversions so blatantly, "rightfully," and recklessly because it thinks no one can punish it.

China will not tolerate such rogue behavior. Since there is no way to call the police, we can only enhance self-defense capabilities, and intercept and expel intruders, making counterattacks and responses based on how bad the US' moves are. To deal with the peeping Tom who crosses the line, we must pick up a stick and drive him away. In short, it is necessary to make him feel insecure and scared.

Americans should have understood this better. Americans pay so much attention to the right to self-defense at home. It is impossible to ask others to be indifferent and submissive to the US' provocative behavior on the international level.

When it comes to security, the US military leads others to insecurity, and others will undoubtedly do the same to the US. As a result, regional peace and stability are destroyed, and the risk of conflict increases sharply. As the culprit of the incident, the US military should certainly bear the responsibility. In a situation in which mutual trust is absent, it talks about the desire to communicate with the PLA while not restraining its dangerous moves in the air and sea. Being so contradictory, is there any sincerity in it? 

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 US hypes on 'China threat' ahead of Shangri-La Dialogue

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Monday, May 29, 2023

New entry of civil aviation: China's C919 passenger plane

 

This photo taken on May 28, 2023 shows a C919, China's self-developed large passenger aircraft, getting ready for its first commercial flight in east China's Shanghai. C919 kicked off its first commercial flight from Shanghai to Beijing on Sunday, marking its official entry into the civil aviation market. (Xinhua)

 

 https://youtube.com/shorts/-AvBIEdXEiE?feature=share

China's C919 passenger plane completes inaugural commercial flight, showing China's efforts in self-innovation in high-end manufacturing industry

C919, China's self-developed large passenger aircraft, completed its inaugural commercial flight from Shanghai to Beijing on Sunday, creating a milestone in China's aviation industry, which aims to compete with global players such as Boeing.

Developed by Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), the C919 aircraft, China's first self-developed large jet airliner, is important proof of China's strength in self-innovation in the high-end manufacturing industry, and its solid market performance will foster further confidence in future orders and among customers, Chinese experts said.

The C919's inaugural flight departed at 10:32 am from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport and landed at Beijing Capital international Airport at 12:31 pm, where it was welcomed with a special water-salute ceremony.

The highly anticipated flight, codenamed MU9191 flying from Shanghai to Beijing was flown by China Eastern Airlines, and carried around 130 passengers.

"More than 20 years ago, I heard many people in the aviation field talking about their dream of making a big plane. I am so excited to be one of the first passengers to fly on the C919," a passenger named Shi Ding told the Global Times on Sunday.

Shi said he arrived at the Shanghai airport at 7:40 in the morning, and there were around 500 people attending the inaugural ceremony. "I have been closely watching the development of C919 for years. As an aviation fan, I am so proud that China now has such an advanced aircraft manufacturing industry."

The video clips he sent to the Global Times showed passengers waving national flags and the cabin filled with a euphoric atmosphere, with excited passengers taking photos and shooting videos. The carrier even prepared meals selected by poll by the passengers.

Both the business and economy class on the C919 use a new generation of domestically designed and produced cabin seats. Among them, eight business class seats use an all-aluminum alloy frame structure with a cradle design and a backrest that can reach 120 degrees. The distance between the front and rear seats exceeds 1 meter.

The C919 cabin has a width of 2.25 meters, and the middle seat in the economy class triple seat is 1.5cm wider than the two seats on the end, bringing passengers more comfort.

The C919 project was launched in 2007 and completed its first test flight in 2017. On September 29, 2022, it obtained the Type Certificate from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the country's aviation sector regulator.

With between 158 and 168 seats, and a flight range of 4,075 to 5,555 kilometers, the C919 is designed to have the same level of specifications as the popular Airbus 320 and Boeing 737.

According to China Eastern Airlines' plan, the first C919 plane will initially be operated between Shanghai and Chengdu, capital city of Southwest China's Sichuan Province, before flying more routes.

China Eastern has also set up special teams including cabin services to ensure security and guarantee services.

New starting point


"Based on earlier full preparations, the maiden flight is a new starting point for China Eastern," Li Yangmin, vice chairman of the Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines Corp, was quoted as saying at the inaugural ceremony held in Shanghai on Sunday.

Li said the airline will take this commercial operation as an opportunity, and strive to meet market demand with high-quality supply, allowing people in China and even around the world to use the plane.

Before the flight, other Chinese airlines also expressed interest in the plane. On Thursday, Ma Chongxian, chairman of Air China Ltd, said that in 2010 the company signed a purchase agreement with COMAC for 20 C919 aircraft, and continued to pay attention to the progress of the C919.

China Southern Airlines vice chairman Han Wensheng said on the same say that his company is paying great attention to the C919 aircraft and maintaining close communication with COMAC.

COMAC said in January that the company expects to reach an annual production capacity of 150 C919 planes within five years, and has already received more than 1,200 orders, according to media reports.

Chinese experts said that the commercial fight is of great significance to China's equipment manufacturing industry, as the civil aircraft manufacturing industry is a symbol of a country's technological and industrial strength.

For China's aviation manufacturing industry, China's commercial aviation must have its own place in the world, in terms of not only market size and development potential, but also equipment manufacturing, Wang Ya'nan, chief editor of Beijing-based Aerospace Knowledge magazine, told the Global Times. "We must have our own manufacturing capabilities for regional aircraft and large commercial airliners," he noted.

We should focus on core technologies in key fields and continue to work together to tackle bottleneck problems, we must put safety and reliability first and eliminate all potential hazards, and we must do a good job in the large aircraft sector, said China's top leadership at the end of September last year that when the C919 passenger jet was issued the type certificate by China's civil aviation regulator, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

COMAC, the developer of the plane, extended its warm congratulations over the flight on its WeChat account with a line from an ancient poem that translates as "Till the day the strangled dragon vibrates in fresh rainfall, it will surely roar to the sky like a flying crane." 

Photo: Courtesy of China Eastern AirlinesPhoto: Courtesy of China Eastern Airlines


Global competition


Hours after the conclusion of the inaugural commercial flight, global plane manufacturers sent messages of congratulation.

"On the occasion of the successful commercial maiden flight of C919 today, we would like to extend our sincere congratulations to China Eastern Airlines and COMAC," Boeing said on its official WeChat account, while Airbus also sent warm congratulations to China Eastern Airlines C919 on successfully completing its first commercial flight.

In an earlier interview with Global Times in April, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said that COMAC has brought new competition to the market. "We have great respect for any competitor in the market," he said.

The C919's first commercial flight means that China's extraordinary aviation capabilities have started to accept the challenges of the market, Qi Qi, an independent market watcher, told the Global Times on Sunday.

With the accumulation of flight hours, there will be more confidence in potential orders and among customers, as well as more growth in the entire large aircraft industry chain, Qi remarked.

A market forecast report released by COMAC in 2021 predicted that China's aviation market will receive 9,084 passenger aircraft with more than 50 seats over the next 20 years, with a value of about $1.4 trillion. It is widely believed that a trillion-dollar level aircraft industry chain is gaining momentum with the commercialization of the C919.

As for future flights, Qi said it is still too early to talk about exploring the international market at this stage.

Prior to this, it is necessary to obtain airworthiness certifications from the civil aviation authorities of other countries, and obtaining the type certification from Federal Aviation Administration and European Union Aviation Safety Agency will be an important indicator of how the C919 will explore the international market, Qi said.

It has been predicted that the C919 will still face many difficulties amid a changing international political backdrop, and the difficulties may be even greater than expected. As a strategic project of China's national aviation industry, the goal of the C919 will not waver, Wang said. China will mobilize and pool all its scientific research and industrial resources to push this project to a successful end.

"For a developing country like China, which is under enormous development pressure, we have no other choice but to face up to the difficulties," Wang noted. 

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The rise of China’s Silicon Valley, Zhongguancun (ZGC) (中关村) - Top scientist, entities gather at popular forum 

 

The rise of China’s Silicon Valley, Zhongguancun (ZGC) (中关村) - Top scientist, entities gather at popular forum


BEIJING: Northwestern Beijing’s Zhongguancun, known as “China’s Silicon Valley,” currently finds itself at the nexus of world attention on scientific and technological innovation.

Running from May 25 to 30, the ongoing 2023 Zhongguancun (ZGC) Forum being held in the Chinese capital’s innovation hub, has drawn top scientists, institutions, and well-known innovation and entrepreneurship entities from across the world to discuss international cooperation on scientific and technological development.

Decades ago, people who lived here never imagined that this formerly suburban community of Beijing could command the world’s attention one day, nor could they foresee a national high-tech industrial development zone rising from their farming fields.

Last year, there were 4,244 companies in Zhongguancun with annual revenue exceeding 100 million yuan (US$14.13mil or RM65mil), which is 2.2 times that of 2012. Among them, 11 companies surpassed the trillion-yuan revenue mark.

Over time, Zhongguancun has become a flag-bearer of China’s innovation, bearing witness to the rapid development of Chinese technology, with the continuous emergence of significant sci-tech innovations, increasing investment in research and development, continuous improvement of innovation mechanisms and strengthened international cooperation.

China’s remarkable expertise and extensive experience, combined with its longstanding commitment to technological innovation, position it to make unique contributions to the world by sharing its technological achievements and experience, said Bill Gates, co-chair and trustee of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, at the forum.

Rise of Zhongguancun


From the sparsely populated outskirts of Beijing to an electronics industry cluster in the 1980s, and then to a national-level innovation hub and China’s highland of sci-tech development, Silicon Valley’s Chinese counterpart has emerged as a symbol of innovation and has been dubbed a remarkable chapter in the history of China’s reform and opening up due to its pioneering spirit.

It was not until 1988 that the first privately owned high-tech firm was registered in Zhongguancun.

The enterprise, named Yonyou, obtained the science park’s first private enterprise license, numbered “SY0001.” Over the past decades, Yonyou developed from a two-person software service company into a leading provider of enterprise cloud services.

Wang Wenjing, Yonyou’s chairman and CEO, still remembers this milestone day for Zhongguancun. “That day, I slipped out of the office where I was working to attend the inaugural meeting of Zhongguancun becoming the Beijing New Technology Industry Development Pilot Zone. It was so exciting,” recalled Wang.

In Zhongguancun, a wave of innovations and many “world’s first” breakthroughs have emerged in frontier technological fields in the past decade, while a batch of homegrown sci-tech industry leaders such as Xiaomi, Baidu and BOE are at the forefront of sectors such as smart manufacturing, deep learning, and semiconductor displays.

In Zhongguancun National Independent Innovation Demonstration Zone, the total revenue of enterprises reached 8.7 trillion yuan (RM5.7 trillion) in 2022, which is 3.5 times that of 2012. Value added in 2021 hit 1.3 trillion yuan (RM847bil), marking 3.4-fold growth compared to 2012.

Measures supporting the establishment and development of foreign-invested research and development centres have been introduced in the zone, attracting over 300 multinational companies to set up regional headquarters and research centres. More than 130 Fortune Global 500 companies have established branch offices in the zone.

Riding on the rapid development of Zhongguancun, Beijing has established itself as a crucial hub in the global innovation network, with nearly a hundred universities and over a thousand research institutes, which not only provide support for its own economic and social development but also inject sustained momentum into global progress and development.

Ranking third globally in the number of “unicorn” companies and topping the Nature Index global science city rankings six consecutive times, Beijing has demonstrated its prowess in sci-tech advancements, witnessing the emergence of world-class innovations in fields such as quantum information and artificial intelligence, said Yin Li, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Beijing Municipal Committee.

As the beating heart of the innovative city, Zhongguancun drove the rapid advancement of Chinese technology and transformed the forum into an international platform for China’s active engagement in global scientific and technological innovation.

“Since its inception in 2007, 13 editions of the ZGC Forum have been held successfully, serving as a vital international platform for China’s active involvement in global scientific and technological innovation, and its extensive participation in global science and technology governance,” said Wu Zhaohui, vice-minister of science and technology.

Shared future

At the peak of a new round of sci-tech revolution and industrial transformation, Beijing gives full play to its strengths in education, science, technologies and talent, coordinates sci-tech and institutional innovation, accelerates the construction of a world-leading sci-tech park, and aims at the leading positions in future-oriented sectors.

Beijing’s efforts in technological innovation are propelling China’s societal transformation and upgrading in various aspects, from people’s lifestyles to business models, from state governance to entertainment, while also providing momentum for global economic and social development.

During the 2020 Zhongguancun Forum, Long Guilu, the deputy-director of the Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Science and a professor at Tsinghua University, unveiled the world’s first practical prototype for direct quantum communication.

At the exhibition area of this year’s ZGC Forum, a myriad of intelligent technological products and applications, including painting robots, surgical robots, robotic butlers, intelligent coal mining and online hospitals, are shaping a promising vision of future life for people from across the globe.

More and more global players in different sectors eye the huge advantages of the Zhongguancun area, and choose to create in China for the world. Among the trendsetters is the French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi.

“China has emerged as Sanofi’s second-largest market and remains a core strategic market, playing a pivotal role in driving future growth,” said Zhu Hailuan, the vice-president of Sanofi Greater China, adding that the company has established an Internet hospital team, and is actively pursuing digital transformation to better address the healthcare needs of Chinese patients.

Speaking to Xinhua, Zhu stated that the company is delighted to see the development of an innovative ecosystem in the field of biotechnology in China, thanks to the growing emphasis on technological innovation by the Chinese government at all levels in recent years.

Zhongguancun’s unleashed innovation potential has also made it a magnet for global scientists and researchers. Xie Xiaoliang, a pioneer of single-molecule biophysical chemistry, coherent Raman scattering microscopy and single-cell genomics, returned to Zhongguancun in 2018 after being a faculty member at Harvard University for two decades.

“Science is the foundation for addressing all kinds of transformations. It is the mission of scientists, as well as the epochal significance of the ZGC Forum, to utilise scientific innovation for the betterment of humanity,” Xie noted — China Daily/ANN 

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Friday, May 26, 2023

Reversing bankruptcy trend

 Amendments to Insolvency Act passed unanimously

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Two new categories for bankruptcy discharge under Insolvency Act... 

Insolvency Act amendment allows two new categories of ...

 Debt trap: Azalina disclosing that 40% of those who were declared bankrupt are between the ages of 35 and 44. — Bernama

CLOSE to 40% of those who were declared bankrupt are between the ages of 35 and 44, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said.

They made up 37.38% or 17,917 individuals who were declared bankrupt as of December last year.

She said a total of 47,929 individuals were declared bankrupt during the same period, of whom 10,378 were under 34 years old.

Personal loans are the main cause of bankruptcy at 49.22% compared to other loans.

“Urgent intervention must be done to address the rising number of bankrupts in the country,” she said when tabling the Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2023.

The minister said gender-wise, more men were declared bankrupt compared to women.

“A total of 25,104 men were declared bankrupt compared to 8,912 women from 2019 to date,” she added.

Azalina said the department had initiated measures, including extensive outreach programmes to increase financial awareness, including among secondary and university students. Following the passing of the amendments to the Insolvency Act, individuals aged 70 and above will be considered for discharge from bankruptcy.

They will not be bankrupt if the Insolvency director-general determines that they no longer have the ability to contribute to or pay for the administration of their estate.

This is among the salient points of the amendment, which was passed by the Lower House unanimously by a voice vote.

According to Insolvency Department records, 19,913 bankrupts aged 70 and above are eligible for relief through certification from the director-general, if they meet conditions.

With the passing of the amendment, another category of individuals will be discharged from bankruptcy – those unable to manage themselves due to mental illness that has been verified by a psychiatrist at a government hospital.

“The amendment is in line with the government’s intention to preserve the welfare of bankrupts. They no longer have the means to cooperate and contribute to the bankruptcy administration,” said Azalina.

During the debate session, lawmakers from both sides requested more awareness of financial literacy among the youth to prevent the rise of bankrupts in the country as well as urgent assistance for those facing financial crises.

Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin urged the government to provide more flexibility in the conditional discharges offered to those who have been declared bankrupt.

During the Perikatan administration, the threshold for bankruptcy was raised to RM100,000 from RM50,000 under the Covid-19 Act to prevent Malaysians from facing financial crises during the three-year pandemic.

Jelebu MP Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias also called for an improved and updated syllabus on financial management to be introduced at secondary schools. 

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