BANDUNG, Indonesia (Aug 11, 2012): Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Maximus Ongkili shared Malaysia’s experience in implementing the various government and economic transformation programmes in his paper entitled “Going Beyond Triple Helix: Malaysia’s National Transformation Agenda”at the ASEAN Ministerial Panel during the 10th Triple Helix International Conference here yesterday.
Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Maximus showed participants how the government introduced innovative initiatives to bring the nation to a high-income status based on the principle of sustainability and inclusivity. He said the Malaysian government’s approach of “People’s First, Performance Now” could be emulated by other developing countries in ASEAN that share similar challenges as Malaysia.
His presentation included on the mechanisms and laboratories set up by Pemandu with the collaboration of government ministries and agencies including MOSTI in creating a circle of innovation to seek input from various sectors. These included continuous syndication processes involving relevant stakeholders – the government, industry and academia as well as the public (through NGOs, professional bodies and associations representing the society).
The “circle in innovation”results in initiatives and programmes such as the National Key Economic Areas (NKEA) that are sustained and inclusive, going beyond the Triple Helix Model, he told the conference. Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Maximus Ongkili also shared his view on how ASEAN countries can work together through the open platform concept (information sharing) which could benefit 600 million people in ASEAN population.
“This open platform can be used towards improving the quality of life such as in health, food and nourishment, affordable houses and infrastructure,” he said.
The conference was held from 8 – 10 August. The Asean ministerial panel was to discuss about the level of innovation in the respective countries and how members countries have been practicing and benefitting from the Triple Helix model directly or indirectly.
The other ASEAN countries that presented their countries’ initiatives were Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia. Most of Asean countries, notably Burma, Vietnam and the Philippines are focusing on agriculture, in particular rice cultivation. The Asean is expected to play a bigger role in the world economy to complement china and India as ASEAN countries are undergoing rapid economic transformation, including through economic liberalisation such as in Myanmar.
The open platform concept will enable the rate of innovation among the ASEAN countries to be further enhanced and ultimately lead to economic prosperity.
The audience were also keen to ask more details on the government and economic transformationprogrammes during the presentation and they commended Malaysia’s effort to raise the quality of life for the bottom 40% wage earners (households with not more than RM1,500 monthly income) through the strategic framework presented today.
