With the launch of Bio-Valley
Malaysia by Tun Dr. Mahatir Mohamad on 20 May 2003, Malaysia moved a step
closer to achieving the status of a developed nation by 2020.
Recognised as one
of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, Sarawak is strategically positioned to
contribute to the growth of Malaysia's biotechnology sector.
The Sarawak
government is hoping that Kuching and Miri will be recognised as bio-valleys by
the Federal government for the state to pursue the development of an
increasingly-important biotechnology
industry.
At an investment
and trade dialogue with International Trade and Industry Minister, Datuk Seri
Rafidah Aziz in Kuching in August last year, Chief Minister, Pehin Sri Abdul
Taib Mahmud revealed that the state government planned to offer postgraduate
scholarships to get more Sarawakians involved in biotech development.
“With this, we believe that within the next 5
to 10 years we will have enough manpower to man the core of our biotechnology
undertakings,” said Taib, who is also the state Finance Minister as well as the
Planning and Resource Management Minister.
He called upon
Datuk Seri Rafidah to help Sarawak realise this goal in light of the State
government’s commitment. Taib thanked Rafidah for her assistance and strong
support for industrialisation in Sarawak and the country as a whole.
He conceded that
the biotech industry was very new to Sarawak. Though now some of the biological
properties offered by the State were being developed as part of the cocktail to
fight HIV, he admitted that progress was slow.
The dialogue was
held together with a Seminar themed “Opportunities in Manufacturing and Related
Services.” jointly organised by the State government, MIDA, and the Small and
Medium Industries Development Corporation (SMIDEC).
