Talk at Regional Youth in Digital World conference organized by WAMY in Bangi Malaysia 2016

1. TOWARDS AN INCLUSIVE
DIGITAL SOCIETY
Hairul A. Abdul Rashid, PhD
Professor,
Faculty of Engineering,
Multimedia University (MMU)

2. CONTENTS
What is Digital Society
Muslim Digital Society
Inclusiveness: Where we are now?
How do we become more inclusive?
 Technology
 Civic tools
 Digital skills
Challenges
Youth Special Mission

7. INUSTRIAL REVOLUTION 4.0

9. POSITIVE (+)NEGATIVE (-)
2012
Mobile phone penetration
UAE – 61%
Egypt – 26%
Germany – 29%
33% of Middle East have
access to Internet
• Religious apps
• High take-up
among the youth
• Access to
knowledge
• Open and wide
exposure
• Opportunity for
Da’wah
• Exposed
• Militancy
• Deviant Sects
Islam and Technology: The Online Ummah, The Economist
(http://www.economist.com/node/21560541)

10. DESI
Indicator: Digital Economy and Society Index
Definition: DESI overall index
calculated as the weighted average of the five main DESI dimensions
with the weights selected by the user:
1 Connectivity
2 Human Capital
3 Use of Internet
4 Integration of Digital Technology
5 Digital Public Services.

11. DESI
Connectivity:
deployment of broadband infrastructure and its quality
Human Capital:
digital skills needed for participation in a digital society
Use of Internet:
activities performed by citizens already online.
Integration of Digital Technology:
digitisation of businesses
Digital Public Services:
digitisation of public services (eGovernment and eHealth)

12. Where do we stand?
A DESI for Islamic Countries?
Under the auspicious of OIC?

13. WHERE ARE WE NOW?

15. YOUTH & DIGITAL SOCIETY
Young and dynamic
Trendsetter
Change agents

16. INCLUSIVE DIGITAL SOCIETY*
We need to increase participation
through a few approaches
Through technology
Through civic tools
Through digital skills
*Mind the Gap, Towards an inclusive Digital Society
Prof. Dr. Gesche Joost, University of the Arts, Berlin
Design Research Lab, Digital Champion of the German Government
for the EU Commission

17. 1. PARTICIPATION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
… and access to open data
Open Government and Open Data enable new
forms of collaboration between government and
citizens
Both become Co-Designers for Public Services
and Citizenship
Open Government makes its decisions and
processes open leading to more acceptance
among citizens

19. OPEN DATA
Data that can be freely used, reused
and redistributed by anyone
non-personal data
data collected by governments,
research institutions or companies

20. BENEFITS OF OPEN DATA
Improve government accountability
Increase the efficiency of government
Contribute to economic growth
Improve the quality and variety of
tools and services

21. “A team comprising
members from the
Malaysia Multimedia
University (MMU),
Ministry of Health
(MOH), Universiti
Malaysia Sarawak
(Unimas), and Teradata
has worked together to
understand the factors
that lead to dengue
outbreaks, and
developed an index to
forewarn communities,
medical practitioners
and authorities.”

22. SPECIAL MISSION (YOUTH)
Think Big
Be bold

24. 2. THROUGH CIVIC APPLICATIONS
Digital and analogue tools might enable new
forms of community empowerment and dialogue
We need interfaces to bridge the digital divide
Widen presence of digital lifestyle

28. “Through a series of hackathons at
Masjid Hidayah MMU Cyberjaya, we
develop a cheap method to stream
live from any mosque, using Raspberry
Pi ….” – Adrian Wong, Project Leader

31. CHALLENGES
Engage with the local communities, find new
formats to address not only digital elite
Give access to diverse people (elderly, families,
people with disabilities, non-tech people,...)
Find formats to bridge the digital divide (local /
global, analogue / digital)

32. SPECIAL MISSION (YOUTH)
Awareness
Design and Development of Apps
Opportunity for Da’wah

33. 3. THROUGH DIGITAL SKILLS
Learn digital skills at school from early stage on
Promote Data Literacy and Coding Skills
Foster Peer2Peer Learning in an open education
environment
Use Open Source, Open Access, Open
Educational Resources
Collaborate with bottom up initiatives and
international networks

34. http://codingatschools.com

36. Youth in action!
Change agents ….

37. SPECIAL MISSION (YOUTH)
Inspire the younger generation
Change agents
Inspire peers

38. CONCLUSION
Digital Society is here to stay
Muslim Digital Society will reap benefits, however …
Reduce the digital divide in Muslim Digital Society
Inclusive Muslim Digital Society by participation
 Through technology and access to open data
 Through civic tools
 Through digital skills
Youth have a special mission!!
Opportunity for Da’wah