KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Science, Technology and
Innovation (MOSTI) approved 3,882 projects involving science, technology and
innovation totalling RM2.5152 billion, between January 2006 and July this year.
Its minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili said, out of this figure, 2,638
projects, worth RM492.2 million, were approved under the ministry's Science
Fund.
He was speaking at the opening of the 10th Asian Conference on Analytical
Sciences (Asianalysis X and LabAsia 2009) in Kuala Lumpur today.
MOSTI has put a major emphasis on the training of young scientists in
state-of-the-art technologies by providing funds under its Human Capital
Development programme towards achieving the target of 50 researchers, scientists
and engineers (RSEs) per 10,000 labour force in the near future.
At the moment the ratio is 27 RSEs per 10,000 labour force.
Ongkili said MOSTI was also giving attention to innovation in Malaysian
products and services to ride through the economic recession.
"MOSTI will spearhead Malaysia's Year of Innovation and Creativity next
year. The National Innovation Foundation which was set up last year will focus
on further developing innovative and creative ideas produced by the grassroots
with the aim to commercialise them," said Ongkili.
Meanwhile the 10th Asian Conference on Analytical Sciences which started
today has been able to attract a large following of senior as well as young
analytical scientists from Austria, Bangladesh, China, Germany, Japan as well
as other Asian countries.
The event which ends on August 13 will also see a group of young analytical
chemists presenting their research findings. Close to 550 papers will be
presented.-- BERNAMA
WNA SD
MENGULAS PILIH
11 years ago