Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia’s push towards a sustainable, innovation-driven economy has taken a significant step forward today with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Central Corporate Engineering Sdn Bhd (CCE) and Oasis Xtract Sdn Bhd.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the collaboration was witnessed by Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) Chang Lih Kang. It aims to establish a fully integrated, end-to-end algae ecosystem-from cultivation to value-added oil extraction-that could transform Malaysia’s green biotechnology landscape.
Chang stated, ‘This partnership marks more than just a formal agreement; it reflects a shared vision of sustainability, innovation, and progress for Malaysia,’ during the signing ceremony. The MoU closely aligns with the government’s MADANI Economy Framework and MOSTI’s National Biotechnology Policy 2.0, which emphasize innovation, green technology, and a circular bioeconomy as key drivers of sustainable economic resilience.
He highlighted CCE’s breakthrough in cultivating microalgae using heterotrophic conditions, a method not reliant on sunlight, allowing for stable, weather-independent production. CCE’s closed-tank system enables algae harvests every five days on a small land footprint, with all technology fully developed and owned locally.
Chang remarked on his visit to CCE’s facility in Semenyih last year, expressing his impression with their pilot algae cultivation system, designed, developed, and managed in-house. This system is a testament to local innovation and persistence.
The partnership will see Oasis Xtract further processing CCE’s harvested algae into crude algae oil, which holds commercial potential across multiple sectors, including biofuel, biodiesel, sustainable aviation fuel, bioplastics, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Chang noted that collaborations like these will contribute to Malaysia’s national agenda on circular bioeconomy, reduce dependency on fossil fuels, and support the development of high-value green industries. More importantly, it strengthens the capacity to develop home-grown technologies that can compete globally.
The initiative also supports the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) and Malaysia’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement. CCE is expected to begin construction of its 2.02-hectare commercial-scale closed-tank cultivation facility by June 2025. Chang emphasized that innovation must serve the people by creating jobs, generating knowledge, and opening up new opportunities. The success of this partnership could inspire a new wave of technopreneurs, researchers, and STEM talents to venture into areas that are not only commercially viable but also environmentally responsible.
The CCE-Oasis Xtract MoU sets a national benchmark for sustainable and commercially scalable green technologies, positioning Malaysia as a serious contender in the global bioeconomy.