PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) is optimistic in implementing and ensuring success of the policies and initiatives outlined to turn Malaysia into a high-technology country by 2030.

Its minister, Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba(pix) said MOSTI welcomed the announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob at the opening of Invest Malaysia 2021 recently on making Malaysia a high-technology country by 2030, targeting the creation of an ecosystem in the economy that is driven by science, technology and innovation.

“This will facilitate local technology development by creating economic opportunities and talents or workforce in artificial intelligence, Internet of Things and blockchain technology.

“The target announced by the prime minister is in line with the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (DSTIN) 2021-2030. Malaysia has shown rapid growth in gross domestic product (GDP) from RM204 billion in 1991 to RM1.34 trilion in 2020, the result of successful implementation of the country’s various policies.

“These include DSTIN 2021-2030 which targets economic development and improving the quality of life and the people’s well-being towards achieving the status of high-technology country by 2030,“ he said in a statement, here, today.

Dr Adham said strengthening of the science, technology and innovation ecosystem included research and development (R&D) becoming a main focus of DSTIN towards reaching the targeted ratio of 2.5 per cent of the gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) of the GDP by 2025 and 3.5 per cent by 2030.

He added that the efforts were supported by aligning the country’s R&D priority areas with the focus on experimental research, besides MOSTI’s initiatives through its agencies including the Technology Commercialisation Accelerator and Malaysia Science Endowment to drive the development and local technology application efforts among the industry players and in helping the country face the fourth industrial revolution.

“MOSTI is also developing 17 technology roadmaps including artificial intelligence, blockchain, electrical and electronics, advanced materials, robotics and vaccines. These roadmaps are in line with the 10 science and technology drivers and 10 socioeconomic drivers as contained in the 10-10 Malaysia science, technology and innovation and economic frameworks (10-10 MySTIE),“ Dr Adham said.

He added that among MOSTI’s targets was making Malaysia a vaccine producer, generating RM600 billion in potential trade returns in the electric and electronics sector by 2025, contributing significantly to GDP through the identified fields, and creating job opportunities in the various fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and 5,000 startups by 2025.

Dr Adham said through the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), MOSTI targeted 500 products or solutions to be commercialised through the National Technology and Innovation Sandbox and Malaysia Commercialisation Year to increase the country’s revenue.

“During the 2016-2020 period, RM402 million in sales was recorded from 386 commercialised R&D products. The commercialisation activities will also be intensified under the government’s Intellectual Property and Inventions Commercialisation Policy 2021-2025,“ he said.

Dr Adham said there would also be focus on empowering and acculturating talent in science, technology and innovation (STI) and developing experimental research to ensure talents and experts were produced to achieve the targeted ratio of 130 talents and experts for every 10,000 workers by 2025.

He said MOSTI was committed to supporting the startup ecosystem holistically and sustainably through the Malaysia Startup Ecosystem Roadmap (SUPER) 2021-2030, whereby Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd had been given the mandate as the sole agency to manage the startup ecosystem development from the beginning to the growth stage.

“This is towards raising the local startup competitiveness at the international level and supporting their businesses with the target of having five companies with the unicorn status by 2025.

“Currently, Cradle Fund is also developing the MyStartup platform, aimed at coordinating and offering complete and inclusive services to the startups,” said Dr Adham.-Bernama