Academy of Science Malaysia should start telling Malaysians why it exists

The Academy of Science Malaysia (ASM) has the brainpower to save the nation from bad policies. But it cannot advise a population that does not know it even exists, writes Professor Datuk Dr Ahmad Ibrahim.

The Academy of Science Malaysia (ASM) is 31 this year. Three decades is a significant milestone for any institution and, by the usual metrics, ASM has earned its cake.

It has produced countless policy papers, advised the Cabinet on complex technological frontiers, and its president, Datuk Dr Tengku Mohd Azzman Shariffadeen, serves as the nation’s science adviser.

Within academia and government, ASM is a heavyweight. But step outside that bubble and not many recognise it.

Why is ASM, the nation’s top scientific advisory body, so invisible to the very public it is meant to serve? The paradox is painful: ASM runs countless public programmes – from science talks to exhibitions. Yet awareness among the general population remains low. The problem is not a lack of activity; it is a lack of translation.

First, many think ASM suffers from an “Ivory Ceiling” syndrome. While its fellows are brilliant, they often speak a language foreign to the average Malaysian. We do not need more dense policy papers; we need science as a story.

When ASM advises on planetary health, the output is a formal report. Few outside academia understand it. The public needs a much simpler version, without the bombastic jargon.

Second, the brand remains blurred. To the layman, “Academy of Science” sounds like a school for geniuses, not a resource for the public. Unlike the UK’s Royal Society or the United States’ AAAS, ASM has yet to plant its flag in popular culture.

We do not have an ASM-branded festival that families circle on their calendars. We have programmes with public participation, but not programmes owned by the public.

Third, trust is leaking elsewhere. In an era of vaccine hesitancy and climate scepticism, the public often turns to influencers or forwarded WhatsApp messages. Why? Because ASM is seen as a government organ, not an independent voice of reason.

Until the public sees ASM fellows openly debating risks in prime time – not merely endorsing policies – the academy will remain a background whisper.

So, how do we fix this? One, appoint a “Science Storyteller Laureate”. Not necessarily a fellow, but a professional communicator. Take ASM’s many policy recommendations from last year, pick the top five, and turn them into two-minute animated explainers in Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and Tamil. Distribute them via WhatsApp and Telegram, not just through YouTube.

Two, initiate the “Sembang Sains” (Chat Science) roadshow. Stop holding events in Kuala Lumpur convention centres. Take the academy to where the public gathers.

Set up a tent at a pasar malam where a nuclear physicist explains radiation while a satay seller grills chicken. Or have a quantum professor share the wonders of future computers. Demystify the scary words. Let the public ask anything – no jargon allowed.

Third, ASM should launch a monthly, five-question SMS poll sent to 10 million random mobile numbers: “Do you trust the tap water science?” or “Should we plant more GM crops?” Publish the results immediately on social media and mainstream news platforms. This shifts ASM from a policy factory into a conversation starter.

Fourth, the “ASM Answers” hotline. A weekly call-in show on RTM and social media where the Science Adviser takes live questions from a tow truck driver or a housewife about floods, electric vehicles, or food safety. No prepared speeches. Raw, real, relevant.

Fifth, produce cheap, durable explanatory sheets on pressing issues – dengue, heatwaves, the price of rice – bearing ASM’s seal of approval. Distribute them at malls and hawker haunts. If the information does not reach the gerai, it does not reach Malaysia.

ASM has the brainpower to save the nation from bad policy. But you cannot advise a nation that does not know you exist.

Thirty-one years of excellence is a fine foundation. But excellence without visibility is just an echo. Malaysians are curious, pragmatic and sceptical. They do not need another annual report. They need a science academy that speaks their language, answers their fears, and shows up where they live.

The clock is ticking. The next pandemic, the next climate crisis, the next technological disruption is coming.

Will ASM be a secret weapon or a forgotten footnote?

Let’s make year 32 the year the public finally says: “Oh, that ASM.”

The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer and do not represent that of Twentytwo13.