LOCAL companies involved in the technology and
scientific businesses are being urged to go global by exporting their
products, technologies and services to other countries.
Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation
Minister Datuk Kong Cho Ha said the Government has always placed strong
emphasis on the development of science and technology as the engine of
growth and wealth creation.
Heavy investment in this area
will continue in many decades to come, he said at the launch of the
12th Asian Chemical Congress and Chemicals Instrumentation Asia
Exhibition 2007 in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
The launch
yesterday is a preamble to the three-day 12th Asia Chemical Congress
(12ACC) starting August 23, themed "Chemistry for Development,
Environment and Sustainability in Asia".
Kong said local
scientists should seize the opportunities available from such an event
to increase Malaysia's scientific and technological capacities and
capabilities.
"It is now time for Malaysian companies in
these areas to go international to export their scientific products,
technologies and services to other countries," he said, adding that
prospects are good in the years to come especially with Afta coming
into effect by 2010.
Speaking to reporters later, Kong said
currently only medical-related companies and those involved in
biotechnology have exported their products and services.
"There
are still a lot of opportunities that can be seized," he said, pointing
out that chemical science is an important area to develop new
technologies.
Citing biotechnology as an example, Kong said this is one niche that Malaysia can excel in.
He
said that Malaysia is one of the 12 countries in the world with mega
biodiversity and flora and fauna that boast a treasure of substances
with medicinal values and industrial uses.
"We want to
exploit the full potentials of these compounds and develop them into
drugs, pharmaceutical and industrial products with the aid of
biotechnology."
Kong said there are huge markets in the US and other countries for such products.
Meanwhile
the 12ACC, to be hosted by the Malaysian Institute of Chemistry, will
see the meeting of 1,500 delegates including eminent scientists,
academia, industry players, corporate leaders and a few Nobel Laureates.
