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SHAH ALAM – Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has reminded the public that the root cause of gadget misuse lies not in the technology itself, but in human choice.
Responding to concerns regarding social media and device addiction, the 100-year-old leader compared digital tools to a knife, noting that their impact depends entirely on the person handling them.
In a video shared on social media, Dr Mahathir highlighted the dual nature of tools.
“We have all used a knife before. We can use it to carve something beautiful, or we can use it to kill someone.
"The issue is misuse. A knife is meant for positive creation, but when it is used to harm, the fault lies with the user, not the tool,” he said.
Dr Mahathir acknowledged that modern gadgets provide instant access to global knowledge, specifically noting how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can respond to complex queries in real time.
"We ask, when did Malaysia achieve independence? It answers: 31 August 1957. How does it know? That is AI," he stated.
However, he cautioned that prolonged dependence on technology without purposeful direction can hinder actual learning.
He warned that spending hours passively watching AI perform tasks such as endless gaming, results in a failure to gain meaningful knowledge.
"If we play games all day and do nothing else, we become ignorant. We cannot blame the gadget for that," he added.
Concluding his remarks, the former Premier reiterated that the responsibility for a healthy digital lifestyle lies with individual discipline.
"Whether we use mobile phones or computers properly is our choice. If we misuse them, we should blame ourselves, not the phone. If we are disciplined, these tools offer immense benefits," he said.
His comments come amid a heightened national debate on school safety and the influence of digital materials on minors following a series of recent incidents involving school-aged children.