Melaka: The National Innovation Day @ Melaka 2026 (HIK@M2026) continued to see an increase in participation, recording 370 entries this year, up from 200 last year and 120 during its inaugural edition in 2024, following its expansion into a national-level initiative.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, State Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Communication Committee chairman Datuk Fairul Nizam Roslan stated that out of the total entries, 200 advanced to the final round. These entries spanned various categories, involving industry players, government agencies, schools, as well as the Special Education Integrated Programme (PPKI) and pre-schools, which were introduced for the first time this year.

Fairul Nizam highlighted that this third edition recorded notable achievements, with several rural schools emerging as winners. This success demonstrated that students from rural areas possess significant potential in innovation. He attributed this to the government's efforts, supported by teacher guidance and the cooperation of higher education institutions in Melaka through the three-year Adopted School programme. This initiative has successfully nurtured the potential of rural school students, enabling them to showcase their talents, generate ideas, and step forward with confidence.

He further explained that the achievement reflected the effectiveness of guiding students through the Adopted School initiative, which not only helped uncover innovative talent but also boosted their confidence in presenting their ideas and creations.

In addition, Fairul Nizam mentioned that the PPKI category introduced this year would continue to be featured in future editions, with improvements to be made based on findings from annual post-event assessments. The Best Presentation Award would also be retained to encourage participants, especially students, to express their ideas and present their innovative products to an audience.

He stressed that the innovations participating in the competition must offer real solutions to people's problems or help accelerate processes, rather than solely focusing on creating new products. For instance, innovations developed by teachers could streamline the assessment process, thereby reducing their workload and stress.