MALAYSIA NEEDS MORE RESEARCHERS IN INDUSTRY - MOHAMMAD YUSOF

NILAI, Nov 7 (Bernama) -- The proportion of researchers within Malaysia's industrial sector needs a substantial boost to strengthen the national Science, Technology, Innovation and Economy (STIE) ecosystem, said Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) Deputy Minister Datuk Mohammad Yusof Apdal.

He said this shift is key to empowering and enhancing the capabilities of local industries in pursuing higher-value-added activities, as outlined in Malaysia’s New Industrial Master Plan.

Mohammad Yusof said according to the latest data, more than 87 percent of Malaysian researchers are based in higher learning institutions and public research institutes.

“For instance, countries like Singapore and Thailand, known for their thriving innovation ecosystems, have over 50 percent of their researchers working within industrial sectors. This allows them to create more innovative products that remain relevant in the global market.

"Indeed, we at the government level are trying to increase research in the country, including in the industry, so that we can continue to help develop the industry and at the same time, further strengthen the country's economy," he said.

He told this to reporters after the closing ceremony of the 2024 Young Scientist Network-Academy of Sciences Malaysia (YSN-ASM) Chrysalis Awards here today. Also present was ASM President Datuk Dr Tengku Mohd Azzman Shariffadeen Tengku Ibrahim.

Mohammad Yusof highlighted the vital role young scientists play in Malaysia, noting that currently around 30 percent of the nation’s researchers fall into this category, underscoring their importance in unlocking new frontiers of innovation.

"We may have efforts to achieve more than that, maybe a 50 per cent increase in the future, that's why we encourage the tendency of more young scientists for the country, God willing, with this kind of effort, hopefully more researchers can be produced," he said.

Therefore, he said MOSTI is supporting early career scientists throughout their journeys and calls to leverage initiatives such as the Malaysia Start-Up Ecosystem Roadmap 2021-2030 and the funding opportunities including the Strategic Research Fund and the Malaysia Grand Challenge to advance their innovative ideas towards commercialisation.

Meanwhile, He hope that the YSN-ASM platform will continue to be strengthened as a hub for robust national and international networks and collaborations among young scientists.

He added that initiatives like the YSN-ASM Chrysalis Award should be further empowered to prepare future researchers for the demands of propelling the STIE ecosystem.

At the event, Mohammad Yusof presented prizes to winners of the 2024 Chrysalis Award, won by Wong Li Wen from Monash University, KM Pershaanaa from University of Malaya (first runner-up) and Mohammed Afiq Hidayat Zailani from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (second runner-up).

The YSN-ASM Chrysalis Award is an annual programme established in 2020, to identify and recognise promising future researchers among final-year Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) students in Malaysia.

-- BERNAMA