Materia Medica Malaysiana

‘Test-bed biotech ideas in Malaysia’

THE Malaysian Government has extended an invitation to world-class biotechnology (biotech) companies to "test-bed" their ideas and innovations here.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Jamaludin Jarjis said Malaysia had a strong tradition in research and development (R&D) institutes and universities specialising in agricultural and medical R&D.

"We have journeyed to the land of opportunity to talk to you, to invite you to Malaysia, where you will be able to leverage and position your business in the global market," Jamaludin told them.

"We are, after all, acknowledged as one of 12 mega biodiversity countries in the world," he said.

Jamaludin is heading a 40-member delegation to the four-day Biotechnology Industry Organisation (BIO) 2004 convention here.

These remarks were contained in his message in a booklet prepared for the mission. BIO is a grouping of leading US biotech companies.

At yesterday’s ministerial session, which was also attended by his counterparts from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, India and Germany, Jamaluddin said Malaysia was an ideal location for the outsourcing of research contracts in biotechnology.

He said apart from good infrastructure and competitive manpower costs, Malaysia also had a strong related global industrial base such as in chemicals and agro-processing.

"We have invested a considerable amount of resources in building a biotech industry infrastructure," he said.

"This includes matters such as intellectual capital development, R&D expansion, talent development and a sound ethical framework."

In a sales pitch, he quipped that Malaysia was not only one of the most biodiverse nations in the world, but also the most "ethno-diversified".

Jamaludin said it would be unthinkable for Malaysia not to look at biodiversity in a big way, given the country’s long association with rubber and oil palm and its sustainable management of forests.

"We are keen to build alliances with global biotech companies. We are on the doorstep of China and India. We will help you make use of this advantage by converging and building upon our strengths in agriculture, manufacturing and ICT to deliver the biotech strategy," he told the conference.

"Think of business tie-ups," he said. "We are a fully developed entrepreneurial culture. Our businesses are straddling the world."

In his message, Jamaluddin said the Government had also put together the logistics under the Biotechnology Agenda to make biotech the country’s next engine of growth.

"They offer you a wide base of expertise and skills to support your R&D, technology and business development. The 30-odd universities shall provide the manpower support," he said.

In addition, three research institutes — in Genomics and Molecular Biology, Pharmaceuticals and Nutraceuticals, and Agro-Biotechnology — were being formed to further strengthen biotech R&D and technology development, he said.

"We offer a wide spectrum of financing structures, including business angel financing, venture capital financing, debt ventures and technology ban king," he said.

"We are committed to providing attractive incentive packages to biotechnology companies investing in Malaysia."

Jamaludin also said that building strategic linkages with international venture capitalists was one of Malaysia’s priorities in its biotech initiative.