Innovation
From The Report: Malaysia 2012
View in Online Reader

Malaysia’s R&D spending has skyrocketed over the past decade, albeit from a low base: funds for research grew at an average annual rate of 18% from 1996-2007. New government-led initiatives such as the Cradle Fund and the Malaysian Innovation Agency, are helping to improve the availability of funding, especially for small businesses doing high-value, high-risk research. Biotechnology is one of the emerging industries that has benefitted greatly from this investment, and it now employs over 150,000 people and contributes 2.2% of the country’s GDP. Malaysia’s unique biodiversity has also yielded benefits for entrepreneurs – providing rare natural compounds for pharmaceuticals and biotechnology companies and allowing agribusiness firms to produce high-end rubber and palm oil products.
This chapter includes interviews with Francis Gurry, Director-General, World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO); and Mohd Nazlee Kamal, CEO, Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Building on strengths: Supporting innovation-led growth
OBG
plus

Like many economies trying to escape the middle-income trap, Malaysia has sought to increase its research and development (R&D) capacity and spur innovation as a means to reach the next level of development. Building on its strengths, Malaysia has focused its energies on its traditional cash crops (oil palm, rubber and rice) and on electronics, but it has also made headway in biotechnology, medical research and green energy – competing in the BRIC league. SPENDING PATTERN: R&D spending…

Analysis

Upscaling agriculture: Adopting advanced technology for greater yields
OBG
plus

Recent efforts to upgrade Malaysia’s agricultural sector that include increased incentives for farmers to learn new techniques and adopt advanced technology are expected to lead to greater harvest yields and help meet rising domestic demand for food products. While the sector contributes around 12% of GDP and provides employment to some 16% of the national workforce, most of this is concentrated in two key segments, palm oil and rubber production. The contribution of the rest of the agricultural…

Interview

OBG talks to Francis Gurry, Director-General, World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)
OBG
plus

Interview: Francis Gurry How can governments assist in the promotion of innovative thinking in competitive, free markets? FRANCIS GURRY: Competitive market forces by themselves often induce companies to innovate. By commercialising a superior technology, companies can gain an edge on their rivals and improve their bottom line. In fact, in some sectors – mobile telephones, for example – competition has intensified to the degree that companies have to innovate just to stay in business. However,…

Interview

OBG talks to Mohd Nazlee Kamal, CEO, Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation
OBG
plus

Interview: Mohd Nazlee Kamal What challenges are there to supplying biomass as raw material for the biotechnology industry? MOHD NAZLEE KAMAL: Access to raw materials is always the foremost challenge in attracting foreign biotechnology firms, although this issue is obviously omnipresent in most markets worldwide. Initial supply is, in most cases, easily facilitated. However, most firms need a guaranteed long-term provision of certain materials, which requires significant depth and sophistication…