Mohd Uzir leaves behind modernised, more integrated national statistics system, says DOSM

PUTRAJAYA, July 8 — The 36-year service of Chief Statistician Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin in Malaysia’s statistics system came to an end with a lasting legacy, having strengthened the country’s statistical framework through the National Statistical System Strengthening (PSSN) agenda.

The initiative became a key pillar in enhancing the coordination, quality and accessibility of official statistics across ministries and government agencies.

The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), in a statement today, said the agenda had driven several strategic reforms, including the establishment of the National Statistics and Data Council (MSDN) at state and district levels, the modernisation of the Statistics Act 1965 (Act 415) to meet digital-era needs, and capacity building in artificial intelligence (AI) and data science.

These initiatives have laid a strong foundation for a more modern, integrated and responsive data ecosystem.

“Mohd Uzir also pioneered the data democratisation agenda through OpenDOSM NextGen, expanding public access to official statistics through an open and user-friendly platform, while enhancing digital initiatives such as MyPAKW and MyLabourHub to ensure statistical services remain relevant,” DOSM said.

It added that Mohd Uzir also introduced a more detailed approach to data reporting through publications such as the Parliamentary Constituency and State Legislative Assembly Statistical Reports, MyLocalStats and District Gross Domestic Product (GDP), providing new insights for regional development and local planning.

During his tenure at DOSM, Mohd Uzir also led several high-impact projects that leveraged data integration and advanced analytics, including the Central Database Hub (PADU), MyLabourHub, MyPAKW, TaniStats, the Life Expectancy Calculator and the establishment of the National Big Data Analytics Centre.

Other initiatives introduced under his leadership included the Cause of Death Calculator, Malaysia Orang Asli Interactive Dashboard and Beyond GDP Dashboard.

DOSM said Mohd Uzir’s career also saw the successful implementation of the Malaysia Population and Housing Census 2020, a significant milestone as it was conducted through a digital approach despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the international level, Mohd Uzir represented Malaysia at the United Nations Statistical Commission since 2017 and held several key positions, including Chairman of the Asean Community Statistical System and Chair of the Governing Board of the Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific.

Under his leadership, Malaysia achieved global recognition by ranking first in the Open Data Inventory, while successfully hosting the 2019 World Statistics Congress of the International Statistical Institute and the Asean-Malaysia Statistics Forum 2025. These achievements further strengthened Malaysia’s position in advancing official statistics internationally.

Besides institutional transformation, Mohd Uzir also promoted greater public appreciation of statistics through the declaration of National Statistics Day on Oct 20, while strengthening statistical talent development through the Statistical Capacity Building Programme, which produced 49 DOSM data scientists, and the Malaysian Institute of Statistics Training as a centre of excellence for capacity building.

DOSM expressed its highest appreciation and gratitude to Mohd Uzir, who reached mandatory retirement yesterday after 36 years of service, for his dedication, exemplary leadership and significant contributions to transforming Malaysia’s statistical landscape.

The department said his legacy would continue to inspire DOSM personnel in advancing the national statistical development agenda towards the prosperity of Malaysia Madani. — Bernama