SIBU MP Oscar Ling Chai Yiew from DAP was caught red-faced earlier last week when he referred to “brain drain” in a Dewan Rakyat question as longkang otak (literally “gutter brain” in Malay).

This prompted Federal Territories Minister Dr Zaliha Mustafa who took on Ling’s question to politely corrected her fellow Pakatan Harapan (PH) lawmaker, clarifying that the proper Malay term was “hijrah cendekiawan” although “penghijrahan bakat” was also correct.

Netizens were quick to point out that Ling had probably used Google Translate to come up with the Malay translation. And that the least he could do was to verify if the translation was correct before putting it in writing in his Parliamentary query on tackling brain drain.

In no time, Ling, 46, found himself the subject of ridicule and insults from netizens. Many chastised him for having poor command of the national language and his over-reliance on technology, considering the platform’s unreliability.

Insults like otak longkang (gutter brain) started to pepper online conversations. Some have remarked that with MPs like Ling around, there is little  wonder brain drain flourishes in the country.

How is it that Ling, a third-term MP from Sarawak, can make such a rookie mistake of using improper terminologies in a Parliamentary meeting that makes him and the August House a laughing stock?

Has the pharmacist by training from Monash University forgotten that every word uttered and gesture made in Parliament, are recorded in the legislature’s official video as well as in the Hansard for all and sundry for posterity?

Are our lawmakers content to delegate their responsibilities to tools like online translators with little or no human oversight? If so, where do we draw the line?

Do we expect ChatGPT to draft the country’s laws next? If so, would MPs merely ask artificial intelligence (AI) platforms to decide if they should vote for or against the bill drafted by a machine? Do they want humanoids to run for office next?

MPs like Ling should be more conscientious when using technology to help them carry out their duties. AI is by no means a replacement for human touch and there are good reasons why it can never replace “human intelligence”.

But if MPs start to abdicate their responsibilities, they may find themselves being replaced with decision-making algorithms in the not-too-far dystopian future. And they only have themselves to blame. - July 7, 2024

https://focusmalaysia.my/brain-drain-longkang-otak-whats-next-for-parliamentarians-using-chatgpt-to-draft-laws/