KUALA LUMPUR: The government spent RM6.9 billion for Research and Development (R&D) under the 10th Malaysia Plan, Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau said out of the total, RM1 billion was allocated to the ministry.
"The fund is for, among others; the ScienceFund, TechnoFund, InnoFund, Commercialisation of Research and Development Fund (CRDF), Technology Acquisition Fund (TAF) and the Biotechnology Commercialisation Fund (BCF).
"Specifically, the R&D fund managed by the ministry for 2013, 2014, and this year were RM317.5 million, RM125.5 million and RM289million, respectively. We gave priority to high impact, low-cost R&D programmes which can contribute to the economy and benefit the people," he said in reply to a question by Datuk Hasan Arifin (BN-Rompin).
Wilfred said the nation's Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) agenda is based on the National Science and Technology Policy, the implementation of which is supported by sectoral policies and roadmaps like the Biotechnology National Policy, the National Cyber Security Policy and the 'Internet of Things' Action plan as well as expert services and facilities by agencies under the ministry.
"For example, Mimos Bhd provided facility-sharing services to assist integrated circuit design, failure and wafer test services for multinational companies, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and academicians."
Another example, he said, was the collaboration between Malaysian Nuclear Agency and Proton Holdings Bhd to produce car engine cables with innovative characteristics such as light-weight and heat-resistance which improved the standards of the automative industry.
