New Straits Times, June 19, 2008
RM1b biotech
investments
SAN DIEGO: Malaysia is poised to receive investments
in biotechnology projects worth RM1 billion over the
period 2008 – 2011 as a result of deals that will be
signed during a world class event this week.
“These amounts are the kinds of benchmarks that we
have for events like BIO 2008,” Malaysian
Biotechnology Corp (BiotechCorp) chief executive
Datuk Iskandar Mizal Mahmood told Malaysian
journalists here on Tuesday.
Six agreements will be signed this week on the
sidelines of the world’s biggest biotechnology
conference, dubbed BIO 2008.
Iskandar said, that more details will be revealed
during the signings, adding that they involve areas
like healthcare, agriculture, and industrial
biotechnology.
Malaysia wants to win a slice of the booming and
lucrative biotechnology industry, estimated to be
worth billions of dollars. Revenue from
biotechnology firms in Asia-Pacific alone was
US$36.7 billion (RM119 billion) in 2006.
Iskandar is leading BiotechCorp, the agency tasked
to develop Malaysia’s biotechnology industry, at its
fourth BIO event. There are about 82 Malaysian
delegates this year led by Science, Technology and
Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Maximus J Ongkili.
“We are looking for anything that's new whether in
terms of technology or practice,” Ongkili told
reporters after opening BiotechCorp’s exhibition
booth.
However, Malaysia’ core focus are alternative energy
and boosting agriculture production.
One example is mapping the complete genetic
information of the jatropha plant, Ongkili said.
This could lead to a better-yielding and more pest
resistant jatropha, which is used to make biofuel,
apart from palm oil and corn.
The minister is also conducting about 12 one-on-one
meetings throughout the four day event that ends
tomorrow.
“We are zeroing in on the list of potential
investors,” he said.
BIO 2008 which is bringing together more than 20,000
visitors from 70 countries features about 2,200
leading biotechnology companies worldwide.
|
|
