Kuala lumpur: Malaysia can strengthen its preparedness for future challenges by incorporating more diverse perspectives, particularly those of women, into policymaking and long-term national planning, according to the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT).
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the think tank highlighted the need in its latest strategic foresight publication, the Futures According to Women report, which was launched today to examine emerging risks and opportunities through a gender-informed lens.
Drawing on the Futures Zoo framework, the publication explores emerging signals across Malaysia's social, economic, technological, and institutional landscape. It highlights how legacy systems, unresolved risks, technological change, and shifting societal expectations may shape the country's future trajectory.
MIGHT president and chief executive officer Rushdi Abdul Rahim stated that the publication is not about predicting a single future but about broadening the perspectives that inform how change is anticipated and future outcomes are shaped. "By recognising signals early and drawing on diverse lived experiences, we can make better decisions today for a more resilient tomorrow," he said in a statement today.
According to the statement, one of the publication's key findings is that women often identify vulnerabilities and emerging pressures through lived experiences across work, family, community, and caregiving responsibilities. This offers valuable insights for institutions seeking to navigate uncertainty and complexity.
The publication also shared that many future challenges arise not from a lack of awareness but from delayed action and structural inertia. Risks such as care burdens, unequal participation, digital exclusion, leadership gaps, and evolving workforce expectations may accumulate over time if left unaddressed.
It argues that Malaysia's future competitiveness will depend not only on technological advancement but also on its ability to harness diverse perspectives in policy design, innovation ecosystems, workforce development, and long-term national planning.
The Futures According to Women report was launched by Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri at MIGHT Partnership Hub in Cyberjaya, yesterday. The launch was followed by a forum titled From Voices to Value: How Women's Futures Thinking Strengthens National Decision-Making, featuring leaders from government, industry, and academia to discuss the role of diverse perspectives in building a more resilient, competitive, and future-ready Malaysia.