Kuala lumpur: The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) is set to introduce a new funding initiative based on a Structured Commercialisation Accelerator (SCA) approach. This program will provide up to RM1 million in financing for each high-impact project, with applications slated to open in the first quarter of this year.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Mohammad Yusof Apdal announced the initiative, emphasizing its goal of accelerating research and development (R and D) outcomes to market readiness, benefiting end users. Highlighting the necessity of technology R and D as a national strategic priority, he underscored its role in driving productivity, industrial competitiveness, and fostering new technologies alongside developing a highly skilled talent pool.
The National R and D Report 2023, as presented by Mohammad Yusof, revealed that the country's R and D investment has yet to meet its target, with the gross R and D expenditure to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio standing at only 1.01 percent in 2022, falling short of the 2.5 percent target by 2030 outlined in the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP). Nevertheless, private sector R and D spending saw a significant rise, increasing from 34.2 percent in 2020 to 51.4 percent in 2022, thus establishing the business sector as the largest contributor to the nation's R and D expenditure.
In terms of human capital, the number of researchers increased by 72.5 percent from 53,205 in 2020 to 91,789 in 2022. Despite this growth, the country still requires around 220,000 researchers to achieve the benchmark of 200 researchers for every 10,000 workers.
To address these challenges, MOSTI is implementing several initiatives, including restructuring research grants to focus on mission-oriented R and D, enhancing industry-academia collaboration through a co-creation approach, and expanding the use of matching grants to encourage private investment in high-impact R and D.
Furthermore, Mohammad Yusof announced the introduction of the Malaysia Innovation Index (MII) as a strategic policy instrument. This index aims to provide an innovation profile for each state, assisting in planning more targeted R and D interventions while reducing geographical imbalances currently concentrated in the Klang Valley.
In addition, MOSTI, through MIMOS, is advancing capabilities to detect deepfake content in stages, covering images, video, and audio. This effort aims to support authorities in addressing the misuse of such technology for fraud and the dissemination of false information.