Kuala lumpur: The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) continues to strengthen the country’s research ecosystem by providing recognition to young scientists, as well as connecting them with industry players and research institutions to foster future strategic cooperation. Its Minister, Chang Lih Kang, emphasized the importance of collaboration in the field of science, highlighting the necessity of strong networks between the research community and industry sectors to accelerate technical and innovation development.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Chang Lih Kang addressed these efforts at a media conference following the National Young Scientist Award 2025 ceremony. He stated that the annual National Young Scientist Award aims to encourage collaboration and shared goals within the scientific community.
At the ceremony, Chang presented awards to five young scientist winners, including two researchers from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia: Assoc Prof Dr Goh Hoe Han in the Biology category and Dr Puvaneswaran Chelvanathan in Physics. The other recipients were Prof Dr Mohd Hazwan Hussin from Universiti Sains Malaysia for Chemistry, Assoc Prof Dr Chua Jia Xin from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman for Medicine, and Prof Dr Ong Wee Jun from Xiamen University Malaysia for Engineering.
In addition to the recognition, Chang stated that MOSTI would evaluate the research and development projects carried out by the winners and potentially fund them, provided they meet the stipulated criteria upon application. He assured that award recipients would have opportunities to present their research findings at international forums such as the International Conference on Environment and Life Science (ICELS), International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research for Sustainable Innovation (ICMRSI), or Sci4Life Conference 2025.
Chang also commented on initiatives to attract students to the fields of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI), noting the encouraging response to the STI 100³ programme from students and schools nationwide. MOSTI plans to continue this initiative alongside existing programmes like Malaysia Techlympics and National Science Week (MSN), as well as initiatives specifically for rural areas, such as Rela Sains, Kembara Sains Borneo, and Science On View.
Meanwhile, award recipient Mohd Hazwan expressed gratitude and pride for being recognized, given the competitive nature of the awards which attracted 85 nominations across five categories. He believes the recognition will motivate young scientists to be more progressive in research and produce impactful studies. His award-winning project focused on green technology, specifically the production of anti-corrosion products from oil palm biomass waste.
Ong, another award recipient, emphasized that the achievement was a shared success with his team, collaborators, and mentors. His research on green hydrogen involves collaboration with NanoMalaysia and MOSTI to develop sustainable energy solutions and promote a healthier planet.