AN OVERVIEW OF MALAYSIA’S NATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY POLICY.docVIP

AN OVERVIEW OF MALAYSIA’S NATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY POLICYTHIS LANDMARK POLICY ENCOMPASSES NINE THRUSTS WHICH UNDERLINE THE DIRECTION AND MEASURES OFFERED BY MY GOVERNMENT TOWARDS DEVELOPING BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR WEALTH CREATION AND NATIONAL WELL-BEING.THRUST ONE OF THE NATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY POLICY IS TO TRANSFORM AND ENHANCE THE VALUE CREATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR THROUGH BIOTECHNOLOGY. THRUST TWO IS TO CAPITALISE ON THE STRENGTHS OF BIODIVERSITY TO COMMERCIALISE DISCOVERIES IN HEALTH-RELATED NATURAL PRODUCTS AND BIO-GENERIC DRUGS. THRUST THREE IS TO LEVERAGE OUR STRONG MANUFACTURING SECTOR BY INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES IN BIO-PROCESSING AND BIO-MANUFACTURING. THESE THREE THRUSTS REFLECT ONE OF THE MAIN PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE NATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY POLICY - WHICH IS TO LEVERAGE THE COUNTRYS EXISTING CAPABILITIES AND TO MOVE THEM UP THE VALUE CHAIN. IN THIS INITIAL PHASE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT, WE ARE TARGETING BIOTECH SUB-SECTORS WHICH WILL SHIFT THE COUNTRYS AGRICULTURE, HEALTHCARE AND MANUFACTURING SECTORS TO THE HIGH-TECH STAGE.THRUST FOUR, MEANWHILE, IS TO ESTABLISH BIOTECHNOLOGY CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE IN THE COUNTRY, WHERE WE BRING TOGETHER MULTI-DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH TEAMS IN COORDINATED INITIATIVES. THRUST FIVE IS TO BUILD THE NATIONS HUMAN CAPITAL IN BIOTECHNOLOGY VIA EDUCATION AND TRAINING. THERE IS NO DOUBT BIOTECHNOLOGY IS BUILT FROM THE POWER OF RESEARCH AND HUMAN INTELLECT. MY GOVERNMENT THEREFORE AIMS TO ENHANCE MALAYSIAS KNOWLEDGE GENERATION CAPABILITIES BY NURTURING RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND BY BUILDING A STRONG HUMAN CAPITAL BASE.AT THE SAME TIME, MY GOVERNMENT FIRMLY BELIEVES IN GIVING BALANCED ATTENTION TO THE ENTIRE BIOTECHNOLOGY VALUE CHAIN, FROM RD TO COMMERCIALISATION TO THE MARKET. THIS MEANS THAT RESOURCES MUST BE PROVIDED TO SUPPORT BIOTECH VENTURES AT ALL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT. THUS, THRUST SIX OF THE NATIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY POLICY IS TO APPLY COMPETITIVE LAB TO MARKET FUNDING AND INCENTIVES TO ENCOURAGE COMMITTED PARTICIPATION