Bernama.com (Malaysian
National News Agency), 05 December 2006
Biotechnology Not Just About Placing Big Companies in M'sia, says Abdullah
PUTRAJAYA, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- Developing biotechnology in Malaysia is not just about placing big foreign biotechnology companies in the country, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Tuesday.
Malaysia had taken a different approach by developing its own biotechnology companies, human capital, basic and applied biotechnology researches as well, the prime minister said.
"It is easy to attract biotechnology companies to operate here by giving them incentives but we are not just doing that," he told reporters after chairing the Biotechnology International Advisory Panel meeting here.
He said the meeting felt that the approaches adopted and priorities placed by Malaysia in developing its biotechnology could help grow the economy considering that the country was rich in biodiversity.
For example, he said, Malaysia had made great strides in developing fuel products using palm oil.
Abdullah said he wanted to see the emergence of more entrepreneurs producing biotechnology products.
"Development of human capital strong in research and development (R&D) should also be given attention.
"We must be strong in R&D to be more competitive and to achieve greater development in biotechnology," he said.
In this context, the role of the universities and research institutes like the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mardi) and the Palm Oil Research Institute Malaysia (Porim) must be enhanced to produce quality research, he added.
The prime minister said the country's wealth in biodiversity could be used to develop the medical field.
The meeting also felt that it was important for the government to remain committed to developing the biotechnology sector.
Abdullah said the government was prepared to draw up laws and regulations to enable the biotechnology field to develop smoothly.
Among the biotechnology experts who attended the meeting were Prof Emeritus of the University of Tokyo Dr Kenichi Arai; vice-president of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Centre Dr Karel Schubert; Novartis AG Group director Alexandre F. Jetzer; executive director of the California Institute for Quantitative Biomedical Research Dr Regis B. Kelly; and Burrill & Company managing director Dr Caroline A. Kovac.
The others were professor of Biomaterial Science and Engineering Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr Chokyun Rha; professor of Biology and Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr Anthony J. Sinskey; Chancellor Emeritus of Curtin University of Technology Dr Eric Tan; and managing director and general partner of Burrill & Company Dr Roger Wyse.
-- BERNAMA |
