Sarawak Energy Inks PPA with Malaysian Phosphate

Transcription

January - October 2014 | Complimentary Issue
Sarawak Energy Inks PPA with Malaysian Phosphate
Agreement to supply power
to region’s 1st integrated
phosphate complex in Sarawak
by AZU JAMUL
SARAWAK state-owned Sarawak Energy Bhd
announced that it had signed an agreement to
supply 150MW of power to Malaysian Phosphate
Additives (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd (MPASSB) for RM1
billion phosphate plant. This was done through
its wholly-owned subsidiary Syarikat SESCO Bhd
via a power purchase agreement (PPA) term
sheet.
The signing followed an announcement to
the exchange on Dec 31, 2013, by integrated
Sj0tveit (left) shaking hands with Wu after the signing of the agreement to supply power to Malaysian Phosphate Additives yesterday
infrastructure development company Cahya
“Sarawak Energy has created an avenue for
The location of the plant is to take advantage
Mata Sarawak Bhd that its wholly-owned
The plant is expected to be completed in 2016
foreign investors and local players alike to
of the competitively priced long-term power
subsidiary Samalaju Industries Sdn Bhd (SISB)
and will manufacture food phosphates, animal
increase their presence through reliable channel
supply prices and supporting infrastructure that
has entered into a shareholders’ agreement with
feed phosphates and fertiliser phosphates for
of renewable energy in Sarawak and the steady
have been successfully attracting other energy
Malaysian Phosphate Venture Sdn Bhd and its
use in local and export markets. Sarawak Energy’s
pace of investment shows investors’ confidence
intensive industries to SCORE’s SIR .
parent company MPASSB, and Arif Enigma Sdn
projections indicate that by the middle of the
in the state.”
Bhd (AESB) for the development of a 500,000
next decade, residential, retail and commercial
“We look forward to grow and sustain this
customers in Sarawak will require 2,000MW while
“This is expected to contribute positively towards
affiliation with the green energy power house in
SCORE customers will consume at least 6000MW.
the state’s development and the economy of the
Sarawak while expanding our business frontier.
country in the long run,” said Sarawak Energy’s
In the present era of technology, it is imperative
Asia’s first integrated phosphate complex and
The state’s gross domestic product is expected
CEO Datuk Torstein Dale Sj0tveit in a statement
that we keep ourselves aligned to a more efficient
will be located in Samalaju Industrial Park (SIP),
to expand five-fold by 2030 with approximately
yesterday.
and effective source of energy while moving
Sarawak, an area within the Sarawak Corridor of
1.6 million jobs to be created when SCORE is fully
forward,” said MPASSB’s director Wu Sor Hwa in
Renewable Energy (SCORE).
operational.
the same statement.
metric tonne per annum phosphorus plant.
This plant is said to be Malaysia’s and South-East
Source : The Malaysian Reserve
MOSTI to Push Commercialisation of more R&D-based Products
by R KAMALAVACINI
The Ministry of Science, Technology and
Innovation (MOSTI) anticipates the rate
of commercialisation of research and
development (R&D)-based products to
go up to 10%-15% this year, from 8%
currently, through its intensive MOSTI
Commercialisation Year 2014 programme
(MCY2014).
Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation
Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin
Minister Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin (picture) said
to achieve the target, MOSTI has taken the
challenge to commercialise a minimum of
60 products per year to both domestic and
international markets. “Previously, per year
we only manage to commercialise about 20
products that had gone through intensive
R&D works but this is not enough,” he told
the media after the launching of MCY2014
in Shah Alam, Selangor, yesterday.
Ewon said for the past three Malaysia Plans,
the nation has invested RM4.8 billion to
fund various R&D projects and managed to
generate an income of RM5.12 billion. “In
the Ninth Malaysia Plan alone about 311
projects out of 1,189 projects approved have
been commercialised which contributed
approximately RM2.6 billion to the nation.”
Ewon said 10 Malaysian companies that
received R&D funds from the Malaysia R&D
Grant Scheme (MGS) are now listed on
the local exchange and the London Stock
Exchange with total market capitalisation of
RM938 million.
Knowing
the
capabilities
and
competitiveness of local companies in
the global arena, the minister said MOSTI
has drafted nine initiatives comprising
three components namely technology
commercialisation platform, promotion
and ICT. He said the industries in focus for
the commercialisation purpose would be
healthcare, biotech and energy sector.
Deputy Minister Datuk Dr Abu Bakar
Mohamad Diah said the ministry will
come out with an exclusive car number
plate featuring “1MCY” in conjunction with
MCY2014.
“Less than one month from today we can
have it whereby only 500 number plates
will be available in the market. Anyone
interested may buy it from the Road
Transport Department,” he said, adding
that the move is part of the ministry’s
promotional initiative.
2 | MTDC NEWS January - October 2014
Usahawan muda Superb diumum setiap suku tahun
KUALA LUMPUR 27 Jan. - Usahawanusahawan muda Bumiputera yang
berjaya memperoleh geran Skim
Usahawan Permulaan Bumiputera
(Superb) akan diumumkan pada
setiap suku tahun bermula akhir Mac
depan.
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Unit Peneraju
Agenda
Bumiputera
(Teraju),
Husni Salleh berkata, program di
bawah kendalian pihaknya itu akan
berjalan selama tiga tahun sehingga
2016 dengan dana berjumlah
RM100 juta. Katanya, program itu
menyasarkan usahawan Bumiputera
berusia antara 18 hingga 40 tahun
yang mempunyai idea kreatif untuk
produk dan perkhidmatan, teknologi
baharu ataupun inovasi dalam model
perniagaan.
“Sektor-sektor
yang
mendapat
tumpuan untuk program ini adalah
sektor Bidang Keberhasilan Utama
Ekonomi Negara (NKEA) selain sektor
teknologi komunikasi maklumat
(ICT) serta multimedia.
idea-idea yang kreatif serta bagus
untuk dimajukan,” katanya.
Beliau berkata, usahawan-usahawan
muda Bumiputera yang layak untuk
program Superb akan dipilih oleh
Jawatankuasa
Pemilihan
yang
dianggotai
sekumpulan
panel
usahawan yang berjaya dalam
perniagaan masing-masing.
“Kami juga tidak menolak usahawanusahawan daripada bidang pertanian,
pembuatan, pembinaan, bioteknologi,
tenaga, sains hayat serta teknologi
hijau,” katanya dalam sidang akhbar
di pejabatnya di Mutiara Damansara
di sini hari ini.
Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib
Tun Razak dalam satu kenyataan
hari ini mengumumkan program
Superb yang menyediakan geran
sehingga RM500,000 akan membuka
permohonan penyertaannya bermula
2 Februari ini. Menurut Husni, antara
syarat-syarat untuk peserta program
itu adalah usahawan berstatus
Bumiputera atau syarikat yang
mempunyai pegangan 60 peratus
Bumiputera dengan Pengarah Urusan
adalah Bumiputera dan majoriti
ahli Lembaga Pengarah terdiri
Bumiputera.
Katanya, tumpuan program itu
adalah kepada usahawan atau syarikat
baharu dengan operasi telah bermula
tidak lebih tiga tahun. “Kita berharap
mencari usahawan-usahawan yang
berfikir ‘di luar kotak’ dan mempunyai
Beliau memberitahu, pihaknya akan
bekerjasama dengan pelbagai agensi
bagi membantu usahawan-usahawan
di bawah program Superb untuk
mengembangkan perniagaan dan
mendapat pelaburan.
Antara agensi berkenaan adalah
Cradle Fund, Malaysia Technology
Development Corporation (MTDC),
MyCreative
Ventures,
Malaysia
Venture
Capital
Management
(Mavcap), Modal Perdana dan
Perbadanan
Pembangunan
Multimedia (MDeC).
-Utusan Online
Government Launches
RM100 Million Superb
Fund for Young Bumi
Entrepreneurs
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 27
(Bernama) — The government
Monday
launched
the
Skim Usahawan Permulaan
Bumiputera (Superb) with a
RM100 million fund for three
years to help creative and
innovative young Bumiputera
entrepreneurs find their footing
in business.
Superb, which is under the Unit
Peneraju Agenda Bumiputera
(Teraju), provides grants of up to
RM500,000 to new Bumiputera
firms or those that have been
operating for less than three
years.
Teraju Chief Executive Officer
Husni Salleh said RM30 million
has been allocated this year, with
the target to create 60 Bumiputera
firms in the scheme’s first year of
operation.
“This initiative will benefit
Bumiputera
entrepreneurs
and help small firms to find
their place in business,” he told
reporters at a briefing here today.
Husni said Superb’s industry
focus covers the communications
technology, creative multimedia,
software, new manufacturing
and
construction
related
technologies,
biotechnology,
energy technology, electronics
and semiconductors, and green
technology sectors.
companies or partnerships
with a minimum 60 per cent
Bumiputera stake are eligible for
the Superb grants.
Superb will be supported by six
government agencies — Cradle
Fund Sdn Bhd, Malaysian
Technology
Development
Corporation,
MyCreative
Venture Sdn Bhd, Malaysia
Venture Capital Management
Bhd, Kumpulan Modal Perdana
Sdn Bhd and Multimedia
Development Corporation.
Applications open on February
2 with the selection panel
comprising
high-calibre
entrepreneurs, and successful
applicants will be announced
every quarter, with the first
announcement expected in
March, he said.
Husni said entrepreneurs aged
18 to 40 and Bumiputera-led
A separate selection committee
will be formed in Sabah and
Sarawak, he added.
MTDC NEWS January - October 2014|3
KUASA PENGGALAK TANAMAN
TAIACE CIPTA PRODUK
INOVASI BAHARU
JIMAT TENAGA
NILAI, 6 Feb (Bernama) -- Taiace
Engineering Sdn Bhd (Taiace), syarikat
Bumiputera, mencipta satu produk
inovasi baharu berteknologi tinggi
berasaskan teknologi hijau yang mampu
memberikan penjimatan sehingga 17
peratus tenaga elektrik setiap bulan.
Timbalan Menteri Sains, Teknologi dan
Inovasi Datuk Dr Abu Bakar Mohamad
Diah berkata produk itu telah diuji
pada Ogos 2012 di Politeknik Merlimau,
Melaka dan didapati berkesan untuk
penjimatan tenaga yang berpanjangan.
Mohd. Rosli Salleh masih membuat percubaan ke atas produk Bio-Striker di
kawasan penanaman padi miliknya.
Keriangan jelas terpancar di wajah pesawah
Mohd. Rosli Salleh yang telah lebih tiga
dekad membanting tulang mengusahakan
sawah padi di Simpang Empat Alor Setar
Kedah.
Telah dua musim dia mengorak senyum
melihat tanaman padi yang tumbuh agak
berbeza berbanding sebelumnya dan
memberi satu keyakinan bahawa hasil
pendapatan boleh meningkat pada kos
yang munasabah.
Dua musim terakhir penanaman, Mohd.
Rosli menggunakan Bio-Striker yang juga
penggalak tanaman growth enhancer
selepas diperkenalkan oleh pegawai
Lembaga Kemajuan Pertanian Muda
(MADA). Penggalak tanaman merupakan
produk yang berfungsi lebih daripada
sekadar baja.
Bio-Striker tersebut dihasilkan oleh
Agribolics Technology Sdn. Bhd. yang
beroperasi di Pusat UPM-MTDC di Serdang,
Selangor.
Bio-Striker
mampu
meningkatkan
ketahanan hasil tanaman dan berasaskan
bahan mentah organik menggunakan
bakteria Pseudomonas flourescent.
Mohd. Rosli telah mencuba dengan
menggunakan cecair baja tersebut sebanyak
lima liter untuk kawasan percubaan seluas
satu hektar.
Dia yang menggunakan benih padi varieti
MR269 merendamkannya dalam larutan
mengandungi bahan penggalak tanaman
tersebut selama 24 jam bagi menunggu
peringkat bertunas.
Selepas rendaman selama 48 jam,
benih ditabur ke kawasan penanaman.
Selepas padi tumbuh, teknik semburan
boleh digunakan yang mana Bio-Striker
dicampurkan dengan Bio GS 2, satu lagi
produk keluaran syarikat terbabit.
Selama tempoh penanaman sebelum dituai,
empat kali semburan pada hari tertentu
boleh dijalankan menggunakan campuran
tersebut.
Komposisi campuran ialah 20 liter air, dan
“Peralatan ini sudah diluluskan untuk
digunakan di semua 32 politeknik
di seluruh negara,” katanya kepada
pemberita selepas melawat kilang
Taiace di sini hari ini.
masing-masing 100
Striker dan Bio GS2.
milliliters(ml)
Bio-
“Saya dapati ada perubahan kepada pokok
padi yang ditanam iaitu akarnya lebih
banyak, batang lebih besar, tangkai lebih
panjang, tegah dah kukuh manakala padi
lebih besar dan lonjong,” katanya.
Dia yang mengusahakan empat hektar
sawah padi berkata, meskipun ada
peningkatan daripada segi kos kira-kira
10 hingga 15 peratus, dia juga mendapati
pengeluaran hasil yang berbaloi.
Menurut Mohd. Rosli, padi matang dalam
tempoh 112 hari berbanding pengunaan
baja sebelum ini iaitu 120 hari.
Dia juga mendapati, benih padi yang
digunakan
mempunyai
ketahanan
tenggelam dua kali dalam kejadian banjir
iaitu 14 hari dan 19 hari tetapi tidak
menunjukkan masalah, berkemungkinan
Beliau berkata syarikat tersebut telah
membekalkan alat tersebut kepada
12 negara termasuk Australia, Korea,
New Zealand, Singapura, Sweden dan
Amerika Syarikat.
“Kerajaan
telah
mengiktiraf
keberkesanannya dan Taiace sedang
melihat untuk memasang produk
itu di premis perniagaan, kilang
dan bangunan kerajaan di sini yang
menggunakan tenaga elektrik dalam
jumlah yang besar.
“Kementerian saya juga sedang
mengkaji cara untuk menggunakan
produk ini di bangunan kami,” katanya.
(Taiace adalah penerima dana CRDF di bawah
Rancangan Malaysia Ke-9)
- BERNAMA
kerana akar benih yang kukuh.
Bio-Striker yang merupakan sebahagian
daripada produk dihasilkan syarikat terbabit
dapat membantu petani meningkatkan
hasil tanaman.
Berdasarkan testimoni, pokok padi yang
ditanam di Seberang Perak dan disembur
dengan Bio-Striker berkembang lebih baik
daripada segi bilangan anak, perkembangan
akar batang dan tahap kesuburan.
Pada satu ujian terhadap pokok cili yang
mempunyai masalah daun, selepas
disembur dengan Bio-Striker, dedaunnya
lebih subur dan hasil cili meningkat. Baja
tersebut juga selamat digunakan kerana
mesra alam.
Selain, Bio-Striker dan Bio GS2, syarikat
terbabit juga menghasilkan Foliar AT3 dan
Ferti-Booster.
- Utusan Malaysia
Dimulai April, Investor Malaysia Siap Bangun
Industri Rp1,6 Triliun di Kampar
Riauterkini-KAMPARTIMUR-Dua tahun
lagi, wajah Desa Birandang Kecamatan
Kampar Timur bakal berubah drastis. Di
sana bakal ada empat pabrik canggih yang
dibangun di atas lahan seluas 41 hektar.
Tak hanya dua Pabrik Kelapa Sawit (PKS)
berkapasitas masing-masing 60 ton perjam.
Tapi juga pabrik minyak goreng, mentega
dan turunan, pabrik pupuk dan pembangkit
listrik berkekuatan 20 MW.
Kalau tak ada halangan, bulan April nanti
peletakan batu pertama pembangunan
kawasan seluas 41 hektar itu dilakukan. “Ini
adalah komplek pabrik terpadu paling canggih
di dunia. Kami menginvestasikan dana
sekitar Rp 1,6 triliun. Setelah peletakan batu
pertama, kami butuh waktu 18 bulan untuk
membangun kawasan itu hingga tuntas,” kata
Julaini Mohammad Saleh, SVP Bisnis and
Financial Advisor Malaysian Technology
Development Corporation(MTDC). Dia
diteman Abdul Rahman Yasir yang juga dari
MTDC dan Mr. Neo serta Neo Soon dari
SAWIPac di lokasi pabrik di Desa Birandang
Kecamatan Kampar Timur Rabu siang
(5/2/14).
kemana-mana. Sebab bakal diolah menjadi
pupuk dan pembangkit listrik yang bisa
menerangi seluruh Kabupaten Kampar.
“Pokoknya, apa-apa yang dihasilkan di
komplek dimanfaatkan,” ujar Juliani.
MTDC adalah lembaga resmi pemerintah
Malaysia yang menjadi penasihat perniagaan
dan pengurus pembiayaan untuk SAWIPac.
Sementara
SAWIPac
sendiri
adalah
perusahaan join PT Sungai Pinang Malindo
yang berinvestasi di Birandang itu.
Cikal bakal pendirian pabrik terpadu ini
bermula dari pertemuan yang digelar oleh
MTDC dan SAWIPac dengan Bupati Kampar
Jefry Noer setahun lalu. Dari dua hingga tiga
kali pertemuan, investor Malaysia ini langsung
tertarik untuk berinvestasi di Kampar.
Jika komplek itu sudah beroperasi, dipastikan
harga Tandan Buah Segar (TBS) milik
masyarakat di Kabupaten Kampar akan selalu
stabil. Sebab itu tadi, Crude Palm Oil (CPO)
yang dihasilkan PKS tak dijual keluar. Tapi
diproses di Kampar menjadi industry hilir
yang siap pakai.
Tertarik melihat gerak cepat Jefry Noer yang
bukan birokrat murni, menggeber pertanian,
perikanan dan peternakan. Tertarik dengan
gaya jemput bola yang dilakukan Pemkab
Kampar. “Naluri bisnis Bupati Kampar
menjadi daya tarik investor. Terus, daerahnya
strategis dan permintaan minyak goreng
tinggi pula. Lokasi pabrik yang dikelilingi
kebun kelapa sawit hanya berjarak sekitar
Limbah-limbah pabrik itu juga tak akan
setengah jam dari Pekanbaru. Untuk urusan
perizinan pun tak payah. Tak sampai sebulan
semuanya sudah kelar,” cerita Abdul Rahman.
Jefry Noer tak menampik omongan Abdul
Rahman tadi. Proses perizinan untuk
pabrik itu katanya hanya butuh waktu dua
pekan. “Kami sudah menerapkan layanan
prima. Sebab itulah kata kunci biar investasi
berlomba-lomba datang ke daerah. Hanya saja,
yang membikin lama itu justru rekomendasi
dari Kementerian Pertanian,” katanya.
Kalau pabrik itu sudah berjalan kata Jefry,
harga sawit masyarakat akan stabil. Terus
harga minyak goring akan lebih murah. Sebab
pabriknya sudah sangat dekat. Kemudian,
aktivitas pabrik itu kelak akan menambah
pundi-pundi negara. “Lapangan kerja tentu
akan terbuka lebar,” kata Jefry.
Sumber : Riauterkini.com
________________________________________________________________________________________
Sumber : Berita Harian
400 trees for
Kepong Botanic
Garden
By SER NOR NADIAH KORIS
GREENERY: FRIM plants saplings in Kepong Botanic Garden
to mark International Day of Forests
KUALA LUMPUR: In conjunction with the International Day of Forests, 400 saplings were
planted at Kepong Botanic Garden in the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) recently.
Among the participants who took part in the tree-planting exercise were 80 students from the
Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University (KLMU) and 400 residents from the Klang Valley. FRIM
director-general Datuk Dr Abd Latif Mohmod said that FRIM has organised various activities
for the public.
“Apart from tree planting there was also a botany fun hunt and a talk on plants to educate the
public on trees and a green environment.” There was also a Green Symbiosis carnival which was
conducted at the FRIM-MTDC Technology Centre II.
“The carnival aims to introduce new products by local young entrepreneurs.”
COMMS-MediaMonitoring (011/March2014 )
Natural Resources and Environment Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Dr James Dawos said the
research and new discovery by FRIM should help improve Malaysia’s timber industry.
During the event, the Malaysian Institute of Accountants also presented RM3,000 to FRIM.
Source : [email protected]
Hutan Bukan Sekadar Kehijauan
oleh Laupa Junus & Ashriq Fahmy Ahmad
Dr. James Dawos Mamit menanam sebatang pokok sebagai sebagai simbolik
acara perasmian.
“Spesies yang terkandung dalam cuaca menjadi semakin panas dan
hutan terutamanya hutan primer kualiti udara merosot,” katanya.
adalah satu aset yang perlu dipulihara.
Meskipun
kita
menggantikan Ketika dunia berdepan dengan
pokok yang kita ambil dalam hutan pelbagai masalah alam sekitar seperti
berkenaan dan menanamnya semula, pelepasan karbon, jerebu, masalah air
tidak mungkin kita dapat pokok yang bersih, dan kebakaran hutan, hutan
sama.”
menjadi satu-satunya aset yang dapat
membantu mengurangkan beban
Demikian pesanan ringkas Timbalan penduduk dunia berdepan situasi
Menteri Sumber Asli dan Alam tersebut.
Sekitar, Datuk Seri Dr. James Dawos
Mamit sempena Pelancaran Hari Dalam pada itu, beliau berkata, selain
Hutan Antarabangsa Peringkat konsep pelancongan alam sekitar atau
Institut Penyelidikan Perhutanan ekopelancongan yang diperkenalkan
Malaysia (FRIM) 2014 baru-baru ini. sebelum
ini,
bio-pelancongan
Bagi mana-mana pencinta alam juga wajar diketengahkan. Konsep
sekitar, mereka mementingkan tersebut merujuk kepada kawasan
kehijauan yang datang daripada hutan dikekalkan keasliannya dan
pokok dan spesies hutan kerana hanya dibina dengan kemudahan
itulah aset dan khazanah sumber minimum untuk dilawati.
semula jadi yang kita dimiliki. Bagi
James, masyarakat perlu menjaga Beliau
menjelaskan,
khazanah itu, daripada laut sehingga ekopelancongan adalah kunjungan ke
ke gunung, tetapi hutan bukan kawasan hutan belum ada gangguan
sekadar kehijauan.
atau sebarang aktiviti manusia yang
menjejaskan keasliannya manakala
Majlis sambutan di peringkat FRIM bio-pelancongan
memerlukan
merupakan susulan kepada sambutan pembinaan sedikit kemudahan
Hari Hutan Antarabangsa 2014 yang untuk pengunjung seperti laluan
diadakan di Port Dickson, Negeri pejalan kaki, wakaf dan calet.
Sembilan pada 21 Mac lalu dengan
tema Hutan Untuk Kesejahteraan.
Dalam perkembangan berkaitan
Oleh sebab itulah, sambutan Hari beliau berkata, lima negeri yang
Hutan bukan hanya menghargai mempunyai kawasan hutan yang
sumber
semulajadi
seperti popular di negara ini khususnya
hutan tetapi juga memastikan yang telah diwartakan sebagai taman
kelangsungan
hidup
manusia, negara dan menjadi tumpuan perlu
dan sebagai jantung kepada dunia memanfaafkan aset tersebut sebagai
yang kita miliki. Menurut James, produk pelancongan.
Malaysia amat bertuah dianugerahi
sumber hutan yang asli, kaya dengan Lima negeri terbabit ialah Johor,
flora dan fauna yang bukan sahaja Selangor, Perak, Sabah dan Sarawak.
menyumbang secara signifikan Negeri berkenaan sering menjadi
kepada pembangunan sosioekonomi, tumpuan konsep pelancongan inap
malah menjana sumber kekayaan.
desa (homestay) kerana memiliki
hutan yang menarik minat pelancong
“Tanpa penjagaan hutan yang baik, asing.
kawasan tadahan air akan terjejas
Sempena
program
tersebut,
beliau merakamkan penghargaan
kepada FRIM kerana kejayaannya
menjalankan pelbagai penyelidikan
yang meningkatkan nilai kayu.Dalam
hutan kita, terdapat pokok balak dan
FRIM telah banyak menjalankan
penyelidikan berkaitan teknologi
kayu.
Sebagai contoh, menggunakan
teknologi tersebut, kayu getah boleh
dijadikan kayu struktur dengan
meningkatkan
ketumpatannya
manakala terdapat kayu yang boleh
dilenturkan dengan tujuan tertentu
khususnya sebagai bahan binaan.
“Sesungguhnya”, kata beliau, “hutan
telah memberi sumbangan yang
tidak ternilai kepada kehidupan
manusia dalam aspek sosial atau
ekonomi.”
Hutan menjadi penstabil kepada alam
sekitar, menyimpan kelembapan dan
sumber oksigen. Kejadian jerebu dan
pembakaran hutan baru-baru ini
melibatkan 1,478 kawasan memberi
khabar buruk kepada kita bahawa
sebahagian asset tersebut telah
terjejas.
Sementara itu, Ketua Pengarah,
FRIM, Datuk Dr. Abd. Latif Mohmod
berkata, hampir 52 peratus spesies
flora di negara ini hampir pupus atau
terancam.
Ujarnya, jika tiada tindakan yang
diambil segera kemungkinan jumlah
tersebut akan terus meningkat saban
tahun.
Kebanyakan flora yang terancam ini
memiliki nilai farmaseutikal yang
tinggi yang mana masih banyak
belum kita terokai.
“Malah, pelbagai spesies fauna kita
juga turut diancam kepupusan,
sebagai contoh kumbang tanduk yang
dahulu sering kita katakan sebagai
serangga perosak bagi pokok kelapa
sawit kini sedang terancam kerana
serangga ini diseludup keluar dan
dijual pada kadar harga yang tinggi,
iaitu sehingga RM300 seekor untuk
dijadikan koleksi,” katanya ketika
berucap pada majlis Penghargaan
Media di FRIM, Kepong , Selangor
baru-baru ini.
Jelasnya lagi, majoriti sumber
makanan juga pada asalnya berasal
daripada hutan justeru kawasan
hijau tersebut perlu terus dipulihara
dan dikekalkan.
“Tanggungjawab
memelihara
khazanah negara ini tidak hanya
berada di bahu FRIM semata-mata,
malah masyarakat di negara ini,
agensi seperti FRIM pasti tidak akan
berjaya melaksanakan tugasnya
dengan baik tanpa sokongan orang
ramai,” katanya.
Beliau berkata, selain menjadi habitat
kepada kepelbagaian biologi dan
sinki karbon, hutan juga berfungsi
sebagai kawasan tadahan air yang
kebiasannya dirujuk kepada sepan
penyerap air hujan.
Air hujan yang diserap itu dituras
dan dialirkan ke dalam sungai bagi
memastikan bekalan air bersih yang
kemudian dikeluarkan sebagai mata
air atau dibebaskan dalam bentuk
wap ke atomosfera.
Tegas beliau, pembukaan hutan yang
tidak dirancang dan pengurusan
yang tidak mampan menjejaskan
sumber air, perubahan iklim dan
cuaca panas dan mengakibatkan
hakisan tanah dan banjir.
Dalam pada itu beliau berkata,
pengenalan Symbiosis iaitu program
Keusahawanan Siswazah menerusi
kerjasama Malaysia Technology
Development
Corporatioan
(MTDC) berjaya membangunkan 10
syarikat terbitan yang memanfaatkan
teknologi daripada FRIM.
FRIM juga berjaya membentuk
kaedah inovatif dalam memulihara
hutan terosot dan bakau bagi
perlindungan
pesisiran
pantai
daripada hakisan serta bencana alam.
Usaha tersebut telah dijalankan di
kawasan bekas lombong bijih timah
di Bidor Perak, dan penghijauan
sebahagian kawasan Paya Indah
Wetlands.
Kampus FRIM di Kepong juga
telah diiktiraf sebagai tapak warisan
semula jadi negara dan warisan
kebangsaan.
Kawasan FRIM merupakan hutan
buatan manusia yang menjadi pusar
rujukan antarabangsa sebagai model
penghutanan semula kawasan bekas
lombong selain menyimpan 20
peratus spesies terancam dan hampir
pupus di negara ini.
Sumber : Utusan Malaysia Online
GranuMas
tembus
pasaran
antarabangsa
oleh Mohd Shaharani Saibi
Senat: MOSTI Terima Geran
RM310 Juta Tahun Lepas
KUALA LUMPUR, 30 April
(Bernama) -- Kementerian Sains,
Teknologi dan Inovasi (MOSTI)
menerima
geran
berjumlah
RM310 juta untuk penyelidikan
dan pembangunan, kata timbalan
menterinya Datuk Dr Abu Bakar
Mohamad Diah.
Beliau berkata geran itu disalurkan
kepada enam dana yang terkandung
di dalam Rancangan Malaysia
Ke-10 selain bagi menggalakkan
penyelidikan,
pembangunan
dan pengkomersialan penyelidik
tempatan.
RM36 juta BCF, RM86 juta CRDF
manakala baki RM7 juta untuk
TAF, katanya semasa menjawab
pertanyaan Senator Datuk Jaspal
Singh di Dewan Negara di sini Rabu.
Jaspal ingin tahu jenis dana
serta jumlah yang disalurkan
kementerian itu tahun lepas serta
syarikat yang berjaya memperoleh
dana berkenaan. Abu Bakar berkata
32 syarikat layak menerima dana
TechnoFund, CRDF (49 syarikat),
BioNexus (13 syarikat), TAF (4
syarikat) dan dua syarikat menerima
Innofund.
Katanya,
enam
dana
itu Kesemua peruntukan bagi dana
ialah
ScienceFund,
Dana penyelidikan dan pembangunan
Prapengkomersialan
(Innofund itu diberikan kepada penyelidik
dan
Technofund),
Dana atau pemohon melalui prosedur
Pengkomersialan
Bioteknologi ketat manakala permohonan pula
diluluskan
oleh
jawatankuasa
(BCF), Dana
11 March 2014.
Date : Pengkomersialan
dianggotai
R&D (CRDF), Dana Perolehan penilaian yang Bumi
firms
putera golongan
ial aid for
financ
new
hes
launc
Najib
:
Title
Teknologi (TAF) dan Dana untuk pakar dan profesional dalam bidang
- Corporate Malaysia
ve, (Pg.2)
Malaysian Reser
tertentu,
katanya.
Program NanoMalaysia.
Publication: TheDaripada
jumlah
itu,
RM64
_____________________________________________________________
______diluluskan
______juta
______
______
__________________
kepada ScienceFund, RM113 juta - BERNAMA
TechnoFund, RM2 juta InnoFund,
Ewon Ebin melihat seorang pekerja melakukan proses pembungkusan produk
GranuMaS ketika lawatan kerja beliau ke Granulab (M) Sdn. Bhd. di Shah
Alam, kelmarin.
SHAH ALAM 18 April - Produk graf tulang
sintetik berasaskan batu kapur, GranuMaS
yang berteknologi tinggi berjaya melakar
kejayaan apabila mendapat tempat di pasaran
antarabangsa.
Produk tersebut juga berjaya mendapat
kelulusan pasaran daripada Kementerian
Kesihatan Indonesia, Brunei dan Vietnam.
Selain itu, GranuMaS juga kini menunggu
kelulusan daripada Thailand, Filipina,
Myanmar, Kemboja dan Laos selain untuk
menembusi pasaran Amerika Syarikat setelah
mendapat kelulusan daripada Pentadbiran
Makanan dan Perubatan Amerika Syarikat
(FDA).
Menteri Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi, Datuk
Dr. Ewon Ebin berkata, produk berteknologi
tinggi yang dihasilkan oleh pakar tempatan
tersebut akan dipasarkan di Asia Barat seperti
Turki dalam usaha untuk melonjak sehingga
pasaran Eropah.
‘Penerimaan akreditasi pensijilan CE dari
United Kingdom juga menjadi batu loncatan
untuk menembusi pasaran global.
‘Selain itu, Kementerian Kesihatan juga telah
menganugerahkan kontrak berpusat bagi
membekalkan produk ini ke seluruh hospital
kerajaan,’ katanya dalam sidang akhbar selepas
melawat makmal GranuMaS di sini semalam.
Turut hadir ialah Presiden dan Ketua
Eksekutif SIRIM Berhad (SIRM), Dr. Zainal
Abidin Mohd. Yusof dan Pengarah Urusan
Granulab Sdn. Bhd., Romli Ishak.
GranuMas adalah sebahagian kajian dan
pembangunan (R&D) yang dibiayai oleh
Kementerian Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi
(MOSTI), SIRIM, Agensi Nuklear Malaysia,
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti
Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) dan Universiti
Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM).
Najib launched new financial
aid for Bumiputera firms
Ewon menjelaskan, produk GranuMaS juga
dijual dengan harga berpatutan di pasaran
dan mendapat permintaan tinggi kerana
terbaik dari segi kualiti setanding produk
antarabangsa lain.
‘Penemuan produk ini juga akan membantu
mengurangkan kos rawatan kesihatan kerana
sebelum ini tulang sintetik agak mahal
berikutan perlu diimport dari negara luar,’
katanya.
Sementara itu, Zainal Abidin berkata, selain
GranuMaS, terdapat juga produk penyelidikan
lain untuk dikomersialkan seperti beta-TCP
sebagai graf tulang bioresap dan simen tulang
bioseramik terkeras sendiri, Osteopaste.
‘Osteopaste kini berada di peringkat
penilaian pra-klinikal dan dijangka siap pada
pertengahan tahun ini.
‘Keputusan yang didapati setakat ini
menunjukkan hasil memberangsangkan yang
mampu memberi faedah dalam pembangunan
produk perubatan,’ katanya.
(Granulab (M) Sdn Bhd adalah penerima dana CRDF
di bawah Rancangan Malaysia Ke-9)
Sumber : Utusan Online
Laying Down Growth Pipes for the Startup Ecosystem
by Gabey Goh
to be signed under MAVCAP third Outsourced
Partners Programme (OSP3). To say I was
pleased at the news is a slight understatement.
There’s been much discussion over the past
few years about a ‘funding gap’ in the region,
lamenting the lack of available venture funding
for entrepreneurs.
However, to drill down a little deeper into the
specifics of this issue it is growth stage funding
that Malaysia has a distinct lack of.
Really, only the Business Growth Fund offered
by the Malaysian Technology Development
Corporation (MTDC) comes to mind, offering
up to RM4 million (USS1 2 million) in hybrid
grant-equity funding.
THROUGHOUT the madness that was the
weekend-long launch of the Malaysian Global
Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGIC) in
Cyberjaya in late April, there was one particular
announcement that really caught my attention.
It was an agreement signed between Malaysia
Venture Capital Management Berhad (MAVCAP)
and Silicon Valley-based fund manager Elixir
Capital Management to launch the ECM Straits
Fund which will target growth equity investment
opportunities to help scale small-to-medium
enterprises (SMEs) in the region.
The fund which currently has a commitment of
USS50 million with a target of US5150 million,
represents the first of the partnerships targeted
In contrast, there are many funds which focus on
pre-seed and seed stage startups, such as those
offered by Cradle Fund and the Multimedia
Development Corporation (MDeC), in addition
to others with a focus on commercialisation or
research innovation objectives.
It is one thing to help kick-start the fledgling
dreams of entrepreneurs. but it is when the
survivors have emerged from that volatile first
few years of existence that one could say the real
fight begins.
Indeed, one could say that if the first three years
are the hardest, the next five will definitely be the
longest.
with the lack of growth equity funds active in this
part of the world, but also sees it as a greenfield
opportunity.
He noted that more often than not, it takes some
time for a business to go from startup phase to be
a target for a growth equity fund — enough time
to create a viable business model, put the product
on the market to get validation, and build a
competent core team.
“The ecosystem in Malaysia has this: we have
looked at over 50 companies in Malaysia over the
past five months and we should be announcing a
few things soon,” he shared.
As helpful as the Government is in facilitating
and funding companies in their ventures
internationally positioned private sector funding
is the real ticket to accessing that global network
of resources and contacts required to carve out
an international footprint. Indeed during the
signing ceremony between Elixir and Mavcap,
the latter’s Chief Executive Officer Jamaludin
Bujang said that the decision to partner with
Elixir was based on the fund manager’s “extensive
experience” in private equity society, as well as its
“deep network” of fund managers and companies
operating across the globe.
“We believe that its focus on growth equity
investment opportunities is one of the best ways
to provide exit avenues to our investee companies
and give them exposure to a wider market, and
thus command higher valuations.” he said.
When asked what Elixir looks for in potential
investees, Abrar said that his team is “vertical
agnostic” but focuses on four core fundamentals:
Suitability to fund strategy; company
fundamentals; their potential value-adds; and
exit opportunity.
What should growth-stage startups know before
they begin looking for funding? Abrar had this
to say. “Remember that investment funds are
not ‘permanent’ capital — we invest with a target
return in mind.
Entrepreneurs looking for growth capital should
be able to clearly articulate how much money
they need, how it will be spent, and what sort of
growth it will lead to within three to five years,
“They should be able to back up assumptions
regarding growth and scaling the company.
And, remember that most investment funds
are targeting at least a 3 to 5 times return on
invested capital so their growth plan should try
to articulate that.
“It’s fine to include inorganic as well as organic
growth,” he said. So hang in there dear
entrepreneurs for the pipes to growth are being
laid down as we speak waiting for you once you’ve
proven that you are ready for a global stage.
Source : Digital News Asia
Abrar Hussain, Elixir’s Managing director, agreed
3 OPP dipelawa bangun infrastruktur
gentian optik di Arab Saudi
PETALING JAYA 6 Okt. - Syarikat
bumiputera, Three-Opp (M)
Sdn. Bhd. (3 OPP) merupakan
satu-satunya syarikat pembekal
gentian optik telekomunikasi
di Asia Tenggara yang dipelawa
menyertai projek pembangunan
infrastruktur tujuh buah bandar
di Arab Saudi.
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutifnya,
Mohamed Shajahan Mohd.
Iqbal (gambar) berkata, sebagai
permulaan, pihaknya diminta
membekal
dan
memasang
kabel gentian optik sejauh 2,100
kilometer di Riyadh.
“Jika sudah mencapai keputusan
muktamad, projek ini dijangka
Katanya, kos permulaan dijangka dijalankan pada tahun depan,”
menelan sebanyak RM50 juta katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia
dan sekarang masih dalam ketika ditemui di sini baru-baru
peringkat perbincangan dengan ini.
pihak berkuasa Arab Saudi.
pembangunan pintar.
Syarikat itu dilantik oleh
Telekom Malaysia Bhd. (TM),
bagi membekalkan kabel gentian
optik untuk projek Jalur Lebar
Berkelajuan Tinggi (HSBB)
fasa pertama dengan membuat
pemasangan penuh bagi 17,000
buah kediaman dan turut
membekalkan kabel gentian
optik untuk 1.4 juta kediaman
di seluruh Malaysia di bawah
projek itu.
Tambah Mohamed Shajahan,
bagi menjalankan projek di Arab
Saudi, pihaknya akan bergerak
dengan menggunakan platform
syarikat kerjasama.
Jelasnya, 3 OPP mempunyai
kepakaran teknikal dan sumber
dan bersedia untuk menjalankan
3 OPP ditubuhkan pada 1991 projek mega tersebut.
“Kami masih di peringkat dengan menjalankan projek
mempertimbangkan
tawaran gentian optik dan kini mampu Ditanya mengenai nilai tempahan
projek tersebut kerana terpaksa menyediakan keseluruhan sistem yang dimiliki 3-OPP setakat
memikirkan banyak perkara lain.
ini, kata Mohamed Shajahan,
pihaknya kini memiliki nilai
tempahan sebanyak RM30 juta
hingga RM40 juta setahun bagi
tempoh tiga tahun.
Mengenai perancangan lain,
Mohamed Shajahan berkata,
pihaknya
dalam
peringkat
perancangan untuk menyediakan
sistem pembangunan bandar
pintar di beberapa buah bandar
raya di Indonesia yang kini masih
di peringkat perbincangan.
Katanya, 3-OPP dijangka ke
Indonesia akhir tahun ini bagi
memuktamadkan
perjanjian
projek tersebut.
“Selain Indonesia, 3-OPP sudah
mempunyai pejabat operasi dan
projek semasa di Australia, India
dan Sri Lanka,” ujarnya.
(3-OPP (M) Sdn Bhd adalah penerima dana TAF di
bawah Rancangan Malaysia Ke-9)
Four High Impact Programmes
to Accelerate SMEs Growth
SMEs’ participation
markets.
PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Najib Tun Razak yesterday announced
four high impact programmes (HIPs)
under the Small and Medium Enterprise
(SME) Masterplan to accelerate the
annual growth of SMEs from 6.3 per cent
to 9.3 per cent.
“This means that in the years to come, the
rate of growth of SMEs needs to be raised
from 6.3 per cent to 9.3 per cent a year.
“If SMEs expand at their usual rate or
business as usual, we will not be able to
reach the target.
international
“Under the Catalyst Programme, we will
identify several SMEs every year, and we
will help them to become home-grown
champions with minimum annual sales
growth of 20 per cent,” he said.
Najib, who is also Finance Minister, said
the four HIPs – creating a single window
to integrate business registration and
licensing, SME Investment Programme,
Going Export Programme (GoEx),
and Catalyst Programme — will be
implemented in stages over the next few
years.
He said the SME Masterplan, which
began in 2012, is aimed at raising SMEs’
contribution to the Gross Domestic
Product to 41 per cent by 2020.
in
The HIPs will be under the International
Trade and Industry Ministry and SME
Corp, he added.
Najib (centre) is seen speaking to the press after chairing the National SME Development Council’s 16th Meeting yesterday. Also present were
Bank Negara Malaysia Governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz (right) and Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Seri Mustapa
Mohamed. — Bernama photo
“The National SME Development Council
has laid down several measures that
need to be taken immediately in order to
accelerate the growth of SMEs through
innovation, productivity and knowledge
enhancement,” he said after chairing the
Council’s 16th meeting here yesterday.
The biannual meeting was attended by
ministers and heads of 16 ministries
and agencies, including from Sabah
and Sarawak, that are involved in SME
development in the country.
Najib said a single window for business
registration and licensing would lower
SMEs’ cost of doing business, while the
SME Investment Programme would
encourage the private sector to provide
early stage financing for SMEs, and under
the GoEx programme the government
would enhance exports in order to raise
Meanwhle,
Najib
said
strategic
collaborations relating to productivity
and innovation will be forged, including
involving SME Corp and Malaysian
Technology Development Corporation
(MTDC) with universities and SMEs,
between Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute
and SIRIM Bhd, and between Steinbeis
Institute and Agensi Inovasi Malaysia
(AIM).
“With these strategic collaborations, SME
operators will be able to get help with
commercialising their products,” he said.
- Bernama
Diving into detritus
Helping industries stay clean pays dividens
WHEN THE price of gold hit its all time high
of over US$1,800 (RM5,800) an ounce in 2011,
Time magazine reported that about US$130,000
worth of scrap gold was recovered from
electronic waste retrieved from around 100,000
used phones alone.
Unfortunately, not all waste has similar economic
value.
The dumping of chemical waste in Penang
(specifically,
Butterworth,
Gelugor
and
Kampung Teluk Tempoyak, Batu Maung) in
1995 had the late Commisioner Datuk Seri
Salleh Mat Som, the Federal Police Director for
Internal Security and Public Order, up in arms.
He said illegal dumping of sheduled waste, which
includes chemical waste, was tantamount to
manslaughter.
Scheduled waste is material with chemical
substances that are toxic, non-degradable and
bio-accumulative and is usually a by-product
from industrial activities such as oil and gas
refining and manufacturing. It also includes
discarded medical products and products.
Joe Wong, managing director and co-founder
of Nasmech Technology Sdn Bhd, says coming
up with waste treatment system to deal with
scheduled waste would helps to address the
waste disposal, treatment, compliance and a host
of other costs that these industries have to deal
with.
Nasmech
Technology,
a
provider
of
environmental engineering services and air
pollution control systems, was founded in 2000.
It expanded into the scheduled waste segment in
2005.
“The provision of air pollution control systems
was lucrative because there weren’t many players
back then. As the market matured, we decided
to diversify to meet another market need,” Wong
told Metrobiz.
The company developed the Carbonator, a
system which used indirect heating to convert
scheduled waste with organic properties into
non-hazardous, stable and odourless granular
carbon while segregating the non-organic
residue to be sent for recycling.
Constant R&D
Since 2005, the company has invested up to
RM13mil to improve its waste treatment system.
The company also received grants from the
Technofund under the Science, Technology and
Innovation Ministry, and the Commercialisation
of Research and Development Fund (CRDF)
under the Malaysian Technology Development
Corporation to help its R&D activities.
Wong said the early development required
expertise in the fields of structural, mechanical,
electrical and electronic engineering and the
investments were used mainly for acquiring
talent and equipment.
The former aeronautical engineering graduate
who spent his early days designing air pollution
by Lim Wing Hooi
control systems added that the company had
to test the parameters ranging from the heat,
pressure, and fuel, to the safety mechanisms
needed and then devise a system for the processes
to work.
Building a database of waste
A research plant with the capacity to treat half a
tonne of waste a day, serves this purpose.
“This plant allows us to create a database for
waste with various properties, from solid to
flammable ,via the tests, hence enriching our
insight in this matter,” he said.
This then led the company to devise a system that
can also treat medical biohazard and domestic
waste.
Through R&D, the company created the
Carbonator system which uses indirect heating
between 450°C to 550°C to heat the waste,
removing up to 99.9% of the moisture in it.
A slightly positive pressure of between zero to 100
Pascal (similar to a puff of air from the mouth)
moves the less poisonous fumes produced
during the heating process to a deodoriser which
neutralises dangerous compunds it is released
through chimneys.
the manufacturing of the parts to other local
manufacturers, except the critical components
which were manufactured in-house. A small
percentage of the components were imported.
As a precaution, the company assembled all
the parts in their factory to test out the system
before assembling it in a client’s premise. As they
grew in experience, all the parts were assembled,
tested and commissioned at the client’s premise.
Money from waste
He says the company handles three to four
projects a year with project values of between
RM500,000 to RM6mil. Each project takes about
six months to complete and about 25 projects
have been completed to date.
The company has also filed eight patents
in Malaysia and overseas for products and
processes, which Wong says could serve as
collateral to finance future expansion.
The company, which started in a 8,000 sq ft
factory lot in Subang Jaya’s industrial area with
10 staff, has since expanded to their current
12,000 sq ft plant in Semenyih and a sales office
in Seri Kembangan with 25 staff.
This is unlike incineration which uses direct
heating and requires careful management of the
poisonous fumes emitted from the process.
Moving on to the next phase, he said the company
is looking at generating recurring income
from the waste from the palm oil industry. The
processed fruit bunch or palm kernel shell which
can be processed to make green fuel or biomass
charcoal.
Wong said the company outsource most of
Source : The Star Metrobiz
Tapping flower power
by Lim Wing Hooi
IN the 16th century, tulip mania became the
first recorded speculative bubble. At its peak,
12 acres of land was offered for a Semper
agustus bulb.
During the Victorian era, Orchidelirium
became the name of the game. Wealthy orchid
fanatics of the 19th century sent explorers and
collectors to almost every part of the world in
search of new varieties of orchids.
Orchids became status symbols for the rich
and famous of the day.
Today, there are still some levels of ‘madness’
for orchids. In 2012 alone, the global orchid
trade was valued at US$504mil (RM1.6bil).
Capitalising on the growing appreciation and
demand for orchids, Orchid Life Sdn Bhd
founder and chief executive officer Abdul
Razak Mohd Isa, together with his chief
operating officer Mustadza Muhamad, looked
at the possibility of growing orchids on a larger
scale through tissue culturing.
“We chose to go into business with orchids as
there is global demand,” said Abdul Razak.
From cell
In 2006, the former manager of a multinational
oil and gas company partnered with architect
Mustadza to set up the venture.
A year into the business, they secured funding
from the Malaysian Technology Development
Corporation (MTDC) to commercialise
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Agribiotech’s
research and development. Orchid Life
received a RM2.5mil allocation from the
Malaysian
Biotechnology
Corporation
(BiotechCorp) under the BioNexus Seed
Development Fund to grow their business.
Abdul Razak said the first phase of their
business saw them establishing a 1,000sq
ft lab at UPM, buying equipment for tissue
culture activities and funding the research and
development programme.
He also transformed a one-acre plot of land
he inherited from his father in Sungai Buloh,
Selangor, into an orchid nursery where he
grew orchids.
Using the lab, the company grows orchid using
tissue and suspension-culture techniques. Gel,
in the form of purified agar and an in-house
formula, is used in tissue culture technique to
grow orchid plants.
Sub-culture process of the
Berangana orchid.
In the suspension culture, a large quantity of
orchid cells are kept in glass containers that are
continuously stirred and aerated to promote
growth of new orchids.
Mixed with special plant hormones and other
chemical compounds, a cell, from 0.5cm can
grow to 6cm within six months. Up to 5,000
orchid plants can be cultivated using a 500ml
jar.
He said skilled and experience tissue culturists
are critical in growing orchids from cells.“Once
a shoot emerges from the culture, the plant is
put into pots and kept in the greenhouse or
nursery for it to grow.”
He said among the orchids commonly
reproduced using the tissue culture techniques
are Aranda Tiger Green, Mokara Char Kuan
Pink and eight types of orchids.
Abdul Razak said the company faced many
challenges in sustaining the business,
including obtaining bank loans for expansion.
Slowly but surely, he said, they managed to
overcome the obstacles.
Meeting challenges
Having grown over 100,000 orchid plants
since 2009, the company now provides cut
orchids to local and international buyers.
“We pick hybrid orchids that have long stems,
interesting colours and flower freely to meet
the demand for cut orchids,” he said.
He said they export their cut flowers to
Australia, India, South Korea, Europe, North
America, Latin America and Middle East.
Abdul Razak said they have to reject some of
the orders, as they were unable to cope with
the demands.
He said Orchid Life was also appointed by
Kedah BioResources Corporation Sdn Bhd
(KBioCorp), a subsidiary of Kulim High Tech
Park, from 2010 to 2013 as consultant to help
develop an agribiotechnology plan, which
involves the setting up of the Plant Science and
Tissue Culture Node (PSTCN) as part of the
Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER)
to enhance economic growth in northern
peninsular Malaysia.
“The project was handed back to the state
agency after the facility and the protocols were
established for propagating the misai kucing
traditional herb, together with the technology
transfer from research institutions to young
local researchers working on the project.”
With the profit generated from cultivating
and selling orchid plants and flowers over the
years, as well as consultancy fees, the company
secured 70 acres of agricultural land in Rawang
recently, to prepare itself for more expansion.
“The company is also looking at hiring more
tissue culturists. Currently, it has 10 people but
aims to employ up to 30.”
He said, with several strategic arrangements
with local institutions like Universiti Sains
Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, the Malaysian
Agricultural Research and Development
Institute, the Forest Research Institute of
Malaysia and their expansion plan, the
company is set to transform into a full-fledged
agri-biotechnology firm.
Abdul Razak said they anticipate growth in
the business especially the overseas market,
where there is strong demand for orchids.
Source : The Star Online
Sumber : Harian Metro
Gaining momentum for a
greater and positive change
The formulation of the SME Masterplan
(2012-2020) was one such opportunity,
not just for the small and medium
enterprises, but also for SME Corp Malaysia
to consolidate its track record, strengths
and future capabilities in delivering its
objectives and services with the highest
impact.
Hasfah Hashim Speaks
IN fighting many battles in the professional
world (like many), I, too, have come to
believe that when you find a window
of opportunity, you need to pull all the
resources and do as much as you can and
move as swiftly as possible — not only
creating, but also gaining momentum for
change along the way — and that makes
the journey so promising.
Ever since the launch of the SME
Masterplan in 2012, every small success
attained by SMEs creates a new milestone
in terms of achievement and sparks a new
momentum for change, which makes
our role and our journey with SMEs so
meaningful.
In our vision to increase the contribution
of SMEs to the economy to 41 per cent of
Gross Domestic Product by 2020, there is
a dire need to review the current growth
rate of 6.2 per cent to 9.3 per cent annually.
This can only be achieved through an
innovation-led and productivity-driven
approach with knowledge enhancement
as the fundamental lever.
Labur RM350,000
oleh Sofyan Rizal Ishak
Kuala Lumpur: Rayt Enterprise
Sdn Bhd (Rayt Enterprise) melabur
RM350,000
bagi
meningkatkan
kapasiti pengeluaran produk minuman
kesihatan jenama Se7en di Pusat
Teknologi Universiti Putra MalaysiaPerbadanan Pembangunan Teknologi
Malaysia (UPM-MTDC) sejak Mei
lalu.
sasaran pengeluaran 500 botol
minuman kesihatan jenama Se7en
sehari berbanding 30 botol sebelum
ini. Menurutnya, beliau yakin mampu
mencapai angka terbabit melalui
penggunaan kemudahan di Pusat
Teknologi Universiti UPM-MTDC
yang memiliki keluasan 3,000 kaki
persegi dan berfungsi sebagai premis
penghasilan produk jenama terbabit
Pengerusi Eksekutifnya, Ramlan dan gudang simpanan.
Osman
berkata
syarikat
memperuntukkan modal sebanyak “Sebelum ini, pengeluaran produk
RM150,000
bagi
pemasangan hanya dijalankan secara manual di
tiga mesin, RM100,000 untuk Kepong dan kami lihat kemudahan
pengubahsuaian di kawasan premis ini membantu langkah syarikat untuk
pengeluaran, RM50,000 bagi tujuan mula memasarkan produk ini secara
kajian dan penyelidikan serta komersial,” katanya. Ramlan berkata,
RM50,000 untuk pembungkusan dan syarikat menyasarkan untuk melantik
pengiklanan.
pengedar negeri di seluruh negara
bersempena pengenalan produk
“Kami optimis pelaburan ini mampu minuman kesihatan Se7en di pasaran
memenuhi permintaan terhadap dalam tempoh 12 bulan akan datang.
produk Se7en yang dilihat semakin
meningkat berdasarkan sambutan “Orang ramai yang berminat boleh
diterima
sejak
ia
dipasarkan menjadi pengedar negeri dengan
secara kecil-kecilan setahun lalu,” bayaran RM18,000 bagi 25 kartun
katanya pada Bisnes Metro. Se7en produk di mana setiap kartun
adalah minuman kesihatan yang mengandungi lapan botol dengan isi
menggabungkan beberapa bahan- kandungan sebanyak 300 mililiter per
bahan semula jadi seperti bawang botol serta berharga RM133 sekotak.
putih, halia, limau, madu dan cuka Kami turut mencari pengedar kawasan
sider epal di mana ia membantu dan pengedar bebas dengan bayaran
dalam menjaga kesihatan tubuh badan pendahuluan RM4,500 dan RM720,”
individu.
katanya.
Beliau berkata, pelaburan terbabit
membantu syarikat dalam mencapai
Sumber : My Metro
In this respect, I am happy to share that
the SME Masterplan (2012-2020) recorded
another head start after Prime Minister
Datuk Seri Najib Razak endorsed four
high-impact programmes (HIPs) at the
16th National SME Development Council
(NSDC) Meeting in the first week of July.
Emphasising
the
importance
of
accelerating productivity and growth
among SMEs through innovation, the
implementation of the HIPs from now
until 2020 and beyond will indeed be a
catalyst for positive change.
The four HIPs are: HIP 1: Integration of
Business Registration and Licensing; HIP
3: SME Investment Programme; HIP 4:
GoEx Programme; and HIP 5: Catalyst
Programme.
These are in addition to HIP 2: Technology
Commercialisation Platform (TCP), which
was launched in April.
HIP 3 and HIP 5, to be implemented under
the auspices of SME Corp Malaysia, will
assist SMEs in two of the most critical
areas of development.
While HIP 3 will help facilitate financing
for high potential, innovative SMEs in
their start-up and early stages of business
development, HIP 5 will lead SMEs
towards exponential growth of 20 per
cent and more by building capacity and
benchmarking with globally established
companies and SMEs.
Similarly, HIP 1 will help achieve ease of
doing business and lower transaction
costs for the SMEs, by establishing a single
window or information portal for SMEs to
register their businesses, as well as apply
for all the pertinent licences.
HIP 4 (especially in the lead-up to the
Asean Economic Community formation
in 2015) will prepare the export-ready
SMEs to establish a regional and global
footprint. A range of comprehensive
assistance ranging from expert advisory,
trade facilitation and market linkages to
networking with international buyers,
distributors and agents through market
immersions have been put in place to
expedite the internationalisation process
of our SMEs.
As they say, it is not important where we
stand, but the direction in which we are all
moving at any point in time. What thrills
me is the clear direction of SME Corp and
what is most encouraging is that we are
not alone in this journey. For instance, it
is with the support of 15 ministries and
more than 61 agencies, we have been
able to achieve an 85 per cent average
success rate in the implementation of
157 SME development programmes, with
a total expenditure of RM12 billion and
benefiting 887,581 beneficiaries last year.
The government has also been focusing
its efforts to identify synergies and has
recently agreed to strengthen three
strategic cooperations, which are
related to the growth of innovation
and productivity, as effective one-stop
centres for the commercialisation of SMEs’
products and services, as well as one
referral centres to assist SMEs enhance
their productivity-related efforts.
These three cooperations are between
SME Corp and Malaysian Technology
Development Corp; Fraunhofer Institute
and SIRIM Bhd; and Steinbeis Institute and
Agensi Inovasi Malaysia.
These three centres will act as focal points
where SMEs, budding entrepreneurs,
as well as researchers can go to seek
information and assistance on various
aspects of commercialisation. The noble
idea is to create an “all solution centre”
for ease of reference for all entrepreneurs,
so that the process from ideation to
commercialisation and time to market
of new products and services is much
simpler and shorter.
Moving forward, I believe that with our
eyes firmly set on various goalposts
and unwavering commitment to SME
development, we can only gain new
momentum for greater and positive
change. We need to consolidate and
sustain our efforts and push for consistent
and commendable performance from
our SMEs to achieve a leapfrog growth
from the business-as-usual growth
performance of 6.3 per cent to 9.3 per cent
annually.
In the words of the prime minister: “It
is important that all the six HIPs are
implemented together to ensure the
synergy and see the full impact on the
economy as they are inter-connected and
mutually reinforcing”.
I am being reminded of what former
United States president George W. Bush
said: “The momentum of freedom in our
world is unmistakable — and it is not
carried forward by our power alone. We
can trust in that greater power Who guides
the unfolding of the years. And in all that
is to come, we can know that his purposes
are just and true.”
SME Corp is both excited and energised
at the growing prospects for SME
development and with its apex role, is
committed to deliver performance at
its best, especially in implementing its
responsibilities carved out by the SME
Masterplan and its six HIPs.
On this inspiring note, I conclude with
a hope that during this holy month
of Ramadan everyone (including our
SMEs) will realise their worthy purpose
of personal, professional and national
growth, with a momentum created by
their strong will power and perseverance.
Source : New Straits Times Online
Globetronics on track for
another year of growth
Source : Digital News Asia
Local flavours for
global taste-buds
Malaysia, Nov 1: Market intelligence firm
Euromonitor International reported that
the Malaysian soft drink industry has seen
robust demand, with growth in total value
and volume sales. Although multinational
industry giants are still dominating the
soft drink market, local players are making
inroads into the industry and are gradually
gaining both local and international market
share.
One of the thriving local manufacturers is
MGV Industries Sdn Bhd, formerly known
as Madura Industries Sdn Bhd. The company
specialises in the production of soft drinks,
isotonic energy drinks and clarified sparkling
juices.
Founded in 1991, MGV began with a clear
aim to offer quality and innovative halal food
and beverage products to Malaysia and the
world market. MGV started small with a
simple factory in the humble town of Besut,
Terengganu.
From there, MGV grew to a much larger
and advanced factory in the Gong Medan
Industrial Zone in Besut. Growing from
strength to strength, MGV’s production
capacity is now three million litres packed
into 3.275 billion pieces of assorted bottle
sizes.
With an annual revenue of RM30m
(approximately US$9.1m), MGV seems
to be on the right track for growth and
success. Currently, MGV’s products are
distributed through various channels both
big and small, including hypermarkets such
as Giant, Mydin, Tesco, AEON BiG and
convenience stores such as Petronas Mesra
Store, 7-Eleven, KK Mart and Felda D’Mart.
For the next stage of its growth plans, MGV
intends to tap into the international market
through its registered ‘S-Sotic’ brand of
tropical sparkling fruit juices. The company
is also exporting its products to Singapore,
Brunei, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia,
Maldives, Dubai and China.
In line with this, MGV has participated in
various expositions such as the Food Asia
2012 in Singapore, as well as the Musiad Fair
2012 in Istanbul, Turkey. It is steps such as
these that put MGV ahead of the competition
in terms of international market reach.
Apart from its “S-Sotic” brand, MGV also
offers a variety of other products, such as
the Frutela soft drink, Maduria carbonated
drink and isotonic energy drink. All of these
products go through a stringent quality and
certification process that has achieved the
HACCP standard.
Innovation is a key part of the process at
MGV and this is reflected in their products.
MGV’s Frutela soft drink range boasts seven
flavours including apple, pomegranate,
blackcurrant, cranberry, sarsi, guava and
orange tangerine.
Soft drink manufacturer sets to gain bigger local and international market share
MGV’s Maduria carbonated drinks takes its
cues from successful international brands,
with all-time favourites, such as the Maduria
cola, Maduria cream soda and Maduria
fruitade. Another one of MGV’s flagship
products is the Maduria isotonic drink.
Being a keen and savvy player in the
marketplace, MGV has developed strategic
alliances with various organisations, such
as the state government of Terengganu,
Malaysian
Technology
Development
Corporation as well as Marditech
Corporation.
Delivering consistent results and top quality
products, MGV has been duly recognised
for its outstanding performance with awards
such as the Prime Minister Award for
Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Sector
in 2012 and the Entrepreneur of the Year
award in 2009.
Apart from the company’s ongoing efforts
to strengthen its position in the industry,
MGV is also seeking to expand and solidify
its reach in the local market. So far, this
effort has been carried out through TV
advertisements.
Strongly equipped with a capable and
competent management team, all of whom
possess more than 20 years of experience
in their relative fields, MGV stands to gain
a bigger piece of the local and international
market share in the coming years.
Source : MSME News Network
Cabaran kepada saintis
oleh Laupa Junus
Penyelidik
tempatan
banyak
memenangi anugerah di peringkat
domestik dan luar negara sebagai
sebahagian daripada bukti kejayaan
dan pengiktirafan hasil usaha mereka.
Sekadar menyebut beberapa nama
,pertandingan di Geneva, Pittsburgh,
Seoul serta beberapa pertandingan
penyelidikan di peringkat domestik
membutirkan pingat pelbagai warga
sama ada emas, perak dan gangsa.
Namun seperti kata Kementerian
Sains Teknologi dan Inovasi (MOSTI)
menerusi Timbalan Menterinya ,
Datuk Dr. Abu Bakar Mohamad
Diah bahawa berbilion ringgit telah
dilaburkan dalam setiap rancangan
pembangunan lima tahun yang
sepatutnya diterjemah dalam bentuk
hasil yang boleh digunakan.
“Kita tidak pertikai soal anugerah
(pingat) yang dikalung di leher
(penerima), jurnal yang disenaraikan
dalam penerbitan antarabangsa, jumlah
hak cipta, paten, dan modal insan yang
dilahirkan tetapi bagi MOSTI, adakah
ia boleh dikomersialkan,” katanya.
anugerah diraih di peringkat domestik
dan antarabangsa.
Pada masa sama, angka yang cukup
memberangsangkan daripada segi
pembangunan modal insan dengan
jumlah 8,685 pemegang diploma,
sarjana muda (pasca siswazah) ,
sarjana, doktor falsafah dan post
doctoral dapat dilahirkan sepanjang
tempoh lima tahun itu.
Bagaimanapun sepanjang tempoh
tersebut hanya 314 projek berjaya
dikomersialkan. Inilah isu yang sering
dibangkitkan oleh MOSTI, sebagai
antara penyumbang dana penyelidikan
terbesar di peringkat kerajaan.
Dengan purata antara lapan dan
sembilan
peratus
penyelidikan
dikomersialkan
setahun,
angka
tersebut tidaklah terlalu rendah kerana
dianggap menyamai pencapaian
negara-negara maju.
MCCE adalah salah satu program
sempena MCY 2014 dan dihadiri kirakira 700 peserta.
Penganjuran MCCE merupakan
salah satu inisiatif bagi menggiatkan
Malah katanya, pelajar Maktab Rendah pengkomersialan
produk
dan
Sains Mara (MRSM) juga berjaya perkhidmatan
yang
dihasilkan
memenangi anugerah penyelidikan di penyelidik dan pencipta inovasi oleh
luar negara.
penerima dana MOSTI dan agensi di
bawahnya.
Beliau juga tidak bimbang dengan
budaya inovasi yang dianggapnya Menteri MOSTI, Datuk Dr Ewon
berkembang subur ketika ini, tetapi Ebin juga berkongsi harapan beliau
apa yang mahu diberi penekanan ialah semasa merasmikan MCCE 2104 yang
pengkomersialan hasil penyelidikan menjelaskan penganjurannya sebagai
tersebut.
satu komitmen berterusan dalam
usaha ke arah penjanaan ekonomi
Kalau tidak dikomersialkan, ia dalam bidang penyelidikan yang
hanyalah reka cipta,” ujar beliau berteraskan sains dan teknologi selari
pada majlis penutupan Persidangan dengan wawasan negara .
Pameran Pengkomersialan MOSTI
(MCCE) 2014 di Pusat Konvensyen Sebagai kementerian yang menerajui
Shah Alam baru-baru ini.
sains, teknologi dan inovasi, MOSTI
turut memainkan peranan dalam
MCCE
2014
itu
dianjurkan menerokai pelbagai inisiatif yang
sebagai
komitmen
kementerian digariskan melalui Dasar Sains,
terbabit
memartabatkan
Tahun Teknologi dan Inovasi (STI) yang
Pengkomersialan MOSTI (MCY) digubal bagi tempoh pelaksanaan
2014.
tahun 2013 hingga tahun 2020,
katanya.
Menurut Abu Bakar, sepanjang
Rancangan Malaysia Kesembilan Perkara utama yang digariskan dalam
(RMK-9) sebanyak RM2.9 bilion telah dasar tersebut ialah memajukan
dibelanjakan dengan 4, 566 projek bidang-bidang penyelidikan dan
diluluskan manakala 3,851 berjaya pembangunan
saintifik,
sosial
disiapkan.
dan
pengkomersialan
selain
mempertingkatkan
transformasi
Daripada jumlah itu, sebanyak 537 tadbir urus yang ada hubung kait
prototaip berjaya dihasilkan dan 2, 627 dengan sains dan teknologi.
harta intelek , 16,732 penerbitan dalam
dan luar negara dihasilkan dan 1,232 Beliau turut menarik perhatian bahawa
salah satu petunjuk kejayaan sesebuah
Ewon Ebin (dua dari kanan) dan Abu Bakar Mohamad Diah tertarik dengan inovasi yang
dipamerkan pada MCCE 2014 di Shah Alam, baru -baru ini. Yang turut hadir Ketua Setiausaha MOSTI, Datuk Seri Dr. Noorul Ainur Mohd. Nur (kiri).
negara dalam menerokai kemajuan
sains dan teknologi ada hubungkaitnya
dengan sistem penyampaian.
Katanya International index For
Management Development (IMD)
World Competitiveness Yearbook
2014 telah menyenaraikan Malaysia
di
tangga
ke-12;
berbanding
kedudukannya di tempat ke-15 pada
tahun sebelumnya.
“Pada hari ini juga, kita akan
menyaksikan tambahan sebanyak
18 produk lagi dan menjumlahkan
keseluruhan sebanyak 58 produk yang
sedia untuk dikomersialkan,” ujar
beliau.
Produk-produk
tersebut
telah
dihasilkan oleh Agensi Nuklear
Malaysia, SIRIM Berhad, serta
produk-produk yang dihasilkan
Pencapaian ini diukur melalui oleh
syarikat-syarikat
yang
keupayaan
Malaysia
dalam dibiayai
melalui
dana
dan
menyediakan persekitaran perniagaan program Malaysian Biotechnology
yang kompetitif untuk perkembangan Corporation (BiotechCorp), Malaysian
sektor swasta. Ini satu pencapaian Technology Development Corporation
dan output yang membanggakan buat (MTDC) dan Technology Park Malaysia
negara kita.
(TPM).
Walau bagaimanapun, dalam laporan
Global Innovation Index 2014 pula,
kedudukan Malaysia telah jatuh ke
tangga 33 berbanding tangga ke 32
pada tahun lalu.
Satu lagi kejayaan MCY telah
ditampilkan
melalui
pelancaran
BioShoppe atas usaha Malaysian
Biotechnology Corporation dengan
menyediakan rangkaian pemasaran
bagi produk kesihatan dan penjagaan
Pencapaian kita yang menurun ini diri dari kumpulan syarikat berstatus
adalah satu isyarat untuk berusaha BioNexus.
lebih gigih dalam memastikan
Malaysia tidak ketinggalan di arena BioShoppe ialah satu pendekatan
global malah dapat mengatasi cabaran- yang dapat memberi laluan yang lebih
cabaran melalui langkah penyelesaian luas kepada produk-produk R&D
yang kreatif dan inovatif,” katanya.
bioteknologi tempatan.
Ewon
berkata,
MOSTI
telah
menetapkan
sekurang-kurangnya
60 produk R&D dikomersialkan
dari pelbagai sektor barangan dan
perkhidmatan pada tahun ini san
seterusnya mencapai sasaran 360
produk menjelang tahun 2020.
Pada masa sama Galeri R&D dan
Program Keusahawanan Maya (IVM)
juga telah dilancarkan di TPM pada 23
April lalu.
Galeri
tersebut
mempamerkan
produk-produk syarikat teknologi
dan inovasi tempatan dalam sektor
Sehingga kini, katanya platform teknologi maklumat dan komunikasi
MCY2014 telah berjaya melancarkan (ICT), kejuruteraan, bioteknologi dan
sejumlah 40 produk yang berjaya teknologi hijau.
dikomersialkan.
Boardroom – The Untapped Potential of Biomass and
Biogas Energy in Malaysia
Seah Kian Hoe
MANAGING DIRECTOR
HENG HIAP INDUSTRIES SDN BHD
Biomass isn’t limited to the palm oil plantation
owners and millers. Johor Baru- based Heng
Hiap Group has been in the business of
collecting and processing unwanted municipal
solid waste (MSW) from all over the country for
the past 12 years.
The group’s recycled plastics have been exported
to be used in the manufacturing of appliances.
Three years ago, Seah Kian Hoe, managing
director of Heng Hiap Industries Sdn Bhd,
began research and development activities to
unlock the thermal potential in waste plastics.
Today, the company can produce biodiesel from
MSW as well as safe-toburn solid plastic blocks
dubbed “new coal”.
The Edge: How did you get into the business of
turning garbage into biomass fuel?
Seah Kian Hoe: Short story, it is part of the
family business. My parents started off as a
‘karung guni’ family where we recycled metal
and paper. Then we started plastics recycling,
where we converted MSW into niche and highperformance plastics for export.
Along the way, I realised that some of materials
that we worked with had good thermal
properties, but poor mechanical properties.
Plastics are basically hydrocarbons and have
high caloric value. By treating them and
processing them, we can remove the heavy
metals and contaminants, and produce a highquality biofuel, even better than what is available
at the pump.
This is quite different from palm oil-based
biomass projects. We use a reactor to conduct a
pyrolysis process to convert plastic to biodiesel,
which we can turn into electricity through a
diesel generator. Because of the fuel source, it
qualifi es as biomass.
What are your current operations?
For now, we have no operations as we are
moving into new premises by the fourth quarter.
Our conversion machine will come in in the fi
rst quarter and we will start operations then.
We did not manage to get the FiT quota from
Seda this year, but we will apply for it next year.
In the meantime, we are marketing our biodiesel
to industries and fueling our trucks.
As a group, we integrate all that. We understand
the materials, the technology, and the intent at
the end point, and we can craft it accordingly.
For now, we can’t compete directly with coal,
which is very cheap at the moment (around
US$80 per tonne). However, as a RE product, it
has a niche market. Furthermore, our ‘new coal’
has a calorific value that is three times higher.
What is the biggest hurdle to scaling up your
technology?
Seah Kian Hoe: Scaling this up to be
commercially viable can be done and the
potential is huge. Hydrocarbons have a better
yield than organic biomass because the calorifi
c value is higher. The biggest challenge is the
capital investment, but that is where the FiT
rates come in. Right now, the FiT rate for
biomass ranges from about 30 sen per kWh to
as high as 41 sen per kWh, if you qualify for
the bonuses. However, I also see a low tariff as
a good thing. It ensures that we are not lazy and
conduct research and development to maximise
the efficiency of our technology.
What are the challenges in producing such a
biodiesel?
MSW is a challenging feedstock to work with.
It comes with diff erent levels of contamination
and types of contaminants. The material must be
prepared to capture inherent thermal properties
while removing contaminants such as moisture,
sand, chlorine, sulphur and heavy metals.
The local recycling industry is also very
fragmented. Diff erent companies collect, sort,
wash and separate the waste. With seven or
eight operators connecting the entire industrial
chain, there is high labour cost and nonvalue added logistics. Also, operators do not
communicate. The top of the chain doesn’t
know what the guy at the end wants, so the
material coming through has lower quality or
the wrong properties.
to burn. Initially, the DOE was sceptical, but
after monitoring the exhaust gas, it was very
satisfied with the emissions as long as they are
monitored.
What about your ‘new coal’?
We are also producing plastic bricks that can be
used like coal — burnt in a boiler to produce
steam that powers a turbine for electricity.
Because we are able to control the heavy
metal content, they are safe to burn. We are
already supplying them to certain industries
The future is good. Just based on the 3% to 5%
of our overall feedstock, we can run a 1mw
project. If we scale this up, we can easily get
20mw. On top of that, there is no shortage of
feedstock. Only 15% to 20% of MSW is recycled
at the moment.
(Heng Hiap Industries Sdn Bhd is a CRDF recipient
under Rancangan Malaysia Ke-9)
Source : The Edge
Top Talents Meet at Oil & Gas
Exhibition (MOGSEC 2014)
KUALA LUMPUR -- An initiative
by the Malaysia Petroleum Resources
Corporation (MPRC) to set up a
University Pavilion at an oil and gas
event to promote direct industryacademia discussion was a success with
the participation of six local universities.
This pavilion was well patronised at
the three-day Second Malaysia Oil
and Gas Services Exhibition and
Conference (MOGSEC 2014) which
ended on Thursday at the Kuala Lumpur
Convention Centre. The event saw
hundreds of top executives, including
those in charge of recruitment and
human capital management, checking
out the many booths and display areas.
MPRC, an agency formed under the
Economic Transformation Programme
(ETP) and reporting to the Prime
Minister’s Department, created a
University Pavilion which showcased
the research and development (R&D)
prowess and relevant courses offered by
the six public universities in Malaysia.
This first-ever University Pavilion at
the event proved to be a hit as oil and
gas executives thronged its exhibits to
learn more about the beneficial offerings
from the current academic sector.
Also present to support this inaugural
pavilion were representatives from
Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad
and Malaysia Technology Development
Corporation Sdn Bhd (MTDC).
One such visitor was Encik Hasnan
Abdullah,
Chairman
of
MSET
Engineering Corporation Sdn Bhd, who
described this exercise of talent-industry
engagement as ‘fruitful’.
MPRC executive director Dr Ir Shahreen Madros (second right) briefing MOGSEC Taskforce
chairman Sofiyan Yahya (right) .
“At this University Pavilion, universities
are able to engage directly with key
industry players who are able to provide
concrete recommendations on how to
enhance their training modules,” he said.
can
promote
industry-university
collaboration with the aim of providing
a steady flow of quality human capital
to support the industry as well as R&D
cooperation,” he added.
MPRC President and CEO Datuk Shahrol
Halmi said the University Pavilion was
the result of close cooperation and
support of the tertiary institutions,
namely Universiti Malaya (UM),
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM),
Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP),
Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS),
Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) and
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM).
Feedback from academia has also
been positive. Many heads of faculties
and lecturers were grateful for the
opportunity to get direct industry
response to their R&D initiatives.
“This has been a real opportunity for
students to engage directly with industry
players while for the companies, it’s an
opportunity to see up close the various
R&D programmes and discuss with
academic leaders,” Shahrol said.
“This
is
one
way
which
MPRC
“We had invaluable insight from top oil
and gas executives on how to enhance
and customise our R&D direction to
match industry needs,” said Dr Noor
Shawal Bin Nasri, Director/ Associate
Professor, Faculty of Petroleum and
Renewable Energy Engineering, UTM.
In view of human capital and technology
development are deemed as key factors
for Malaysia to succeed as a regional
oil and gas services and manufacturing
hub, Shahrol said MPRC was glad this
initiative had turned out very well.
“MPRC believes that as we champion
the initiative of making Malaysia a
regional hub, we also need to ensure
that the industry players grow their
technical capabilities. We are pleased the
University Pavilion has helped promote
more collaboration between industries
with our local universities. We hope to
see this continuing in the future,” he said.
MPRC has been tasked to promote,
catalyse and transform the oil and gas
services and manufacturing sector with
the aim of making Malaysia the number
one oil and gas hub in the Asia Pacific
region.
MOGSEC 2014 which ended on Sept
25 brought together dozens of local oil
and gas services and manufacturing
companies which showcased an
extensive presentation of products and
services that demonstrated the width
and depth of the Malaysian oil and gas
industry’s capabilities.
Source : Malaysian Digest
Evolva announces
collaboration with
L’Oréal
Reinach, Switzerland, 10 February
2014 - Evolva Holding SA (SIX: EVE)
announced that it has signed a
collaboration agreement with L’Oréal
for the co-development of novel
biosynthetic production routes for
an undisclosed ingredient with broad
applications in the cosmetics industry.
Evolva and L’Oréal will apply Evolva’s
fermentation technology platform to
develop and optimise yeast strains
for the sustainable, cost-effective
production of this strategically
important cosmetics ingredient.
This collaboration will begin
immediately and conclude in late
2016, and includes an option to
expand the ingredient focus. L’Oréal
will pay Evolva research fees during
the project period. Additionally,
Evolva is eligible to receive milestone
payments based on achieving
research objectives.
L’Oréal is widely recognised as a global
leader and innovator in cosmetics.
Evolva is the global leader building
the next blockbuster category in
high-value wellness, health and
nutrition ingredients. Leveraging its
proprietary yeast and fermentation
platform, Evolva can produce
high-value ingredients that would
otherwise be highly problematic
or inaccessible to industry due to
cost, functionality, supply chain, or
sustainability issues.
Luc Aguilar, Global Head of L’Oréal’s
Biotechnologies
Department,
said “Evolva’s biotech platform
on yeast design, optimisation and
fermentation could end in new
cosmetic ingredients bringing a real
breakthrough for our customers.”
“This collaboration further validates
the broad industry applications
potential of our technology platform
and industry awareness of Evolva’s
unique value proposition in health,
wellness, and nutrition ingredient
development,” Evolva CEO Neil
Goldsmith said. “We look forward
to working with L’Oréal. We are
confident that together we can
leverage new and sustainable
production routes to improve this
ingredient’s sustainability profile,
reduce its production costs, improve
its supply chain predictability, and
increase its formulation flexibility
in cosmetics”.
(EVOLVA is an investee company of MTDC)
Source : Evolva
Kulit baharu harapan baru
oleh KHAIRUNNISA SULAIMAN
TAHUN lalu tarikh 14 Julai, hari ke lima
Ramadan, Mohd Haziq Mohd Yusof, 14,
pelajar Sekolah Kebangsaan Pekan Baru Muar,
Muar, Johor sedang asyik memasang pelita
dengan adik-beradik, sepupu dan rakanrakan di kampungnya. Entah macam mana
botol yang berisi minyak tanah terbalik dan
menyambar api pelita yang berada tidak jauh
dari Haziq.
Haziq panik melihat seluar sukan sebelah
kirinya terbakar. Api semakin marak. Haziq
menjerit kesakitan dan cepat-cepat berlari dan
apa yang ada di fikiran ialah parit di depan
rumah. Dia melompat masuk ke dalam parit
yang penuh dengan air. Jika tidak mungkin
seluruh badannya boleh terbakar dan melecur.
Ayahnya Mohd Yusof yang berada di dalam
rumah bergegas keluar dan menghantar
Haziq ke Hospital Batu Pahat, Johor dan
Haziq terpaksa tinggal lebih sebulan di sana
bagi mendapatkan rawatan. Keadaannya yang
tidak menujukkan sebarang perkembangan
positif menyebabkan ayahnya membawa
anaknya pulang ke rumah mendapatkan
rawatan tradisional.
“Malangnya keadaan Haziq bertambah parah
dan kami membawanya mendapatkan rawatan
pakar di sebuah hospital swasta. Pihak hospital
melakukan proses Skin Grafting,” katanya.
Skin Grafting ialah proses pencantuman kulit
yang biasa dilakukan di hospital. Cantuman
kulit ialah kaedah mengeluarkan lapisan
kulit daripada bahagian tubuh yang sihat
(dikenali sebagai kawasan penyumbang),
untuk digunakan bagi menutupi bahagian
badan yang telah melecur. Proses ini amat
menyakitkan terutama ketika memotong kulit
daripada kawasan penyumbang.
Dalam kes Haziq, kulit di kaki kanan diambil
dan ditampal pada kawasan yang cedera di
sebelah kiri.
“Bagaimanapun keadaan kaki kiri Haziq
tidak sembuh manakala kaki kanannya pula
dijangkiti kuman dan di sana saja kami telah
menghabiskan lebih RM30,000,” katanya.
Tidak tahan melihat anak bongsunya yang
merintih kesakitan, Mohd Yusof menebalkan
muka mendapatkan bantuan orang ramai
melalui akhbar dan media tempatan.
“Esoknya saya menerima panggilan daripada
Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif (CEO) Cell Tissue
Technology Sdn. Bhd., Dr. Khairul Idzwan
Baharin yang menawarkan bantuan bagi
merawat Haziq,” katanya.
Cell Tissue Technology ialah syarikat
kelolaan UKM bagi mengkomersialkan hasil
penyelidikan dari Pusat Kejuruteraan Tisu
UKM kepada pasaran tempatan dan global.
“Ketika itu saya bagaikan mati hidup semula,
terasa ada cahaya,” katanya yang tidak
berlengah ke Pusat Perubatan Universiti
Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPUKM).
Dr. Khairul baru saja habis mesyuarat semasa
mendapat panggilan daripada Mohd Yusof.
“Saya benar-benar terperanjat ketika mendapat
panggilan daripada ayah Haziq kerana pihak
kami belum membuat sebarang persiapan
tetapi atas bantuan semua kakitangan akhirnya
semua berjalan lancar dan Haziq dimasukkan
ke wad Unit Kebakaran,” katanya.
Timbalan Menteri Kesihatan, Dr. Hilmi Yahaya melihat kaki Mohd Haziq sambil diperhatikan oleh Prof. Ruszymah (berdiri kiri) dan Dr. Khairul (berdiri empat dari kiri).
Menurut Dr. Khairul, keadaan Haziq memang
parah semasa dibawa ke PPUKM. Selain hanya
terlantar di katil, kakinya telah dijangkiti
kuman malah remaja itu tidak dapat bergerak
dan hanya mengerang kesakitan. Emosinya
tidak stabil dan murung kerana kesakitan
yang dihadapinya.
“Setelah semua pemeriksaan dijalankan, kami
mengambil 2cm x 6cm kulit di bahagian
pelipat paha bagi memastikan parut tidak
kelihatan. Kulit itu dikultur menggunakan
darah yang diambil daripada bapanya kerana
keadaan Haziq tidak mengizinkan,” katanya.
Proses dan teknik yang dinamakan MyDermTM
ialah hasil daripada penyelidikan selama
lebih 10 tahun oleh Pusat Kejuruteraan Tisu
UKM, yang juga diketuai oleh Ketua Pegawai
Teknologi (CTO) Cell Tissue Technology, Prof.
Dr. Ruszymah Idrus. Hasil penyelidikannya
sebelum ini berjaya merawat beberapa pesakit,
termasuk seorang kanak-kanak berusia empat
tahun yang melecur hampir seluruh badan
kerana terbakar.
Teknologi MyDermTM telah dipatenkan di
Malaysia dan luar negara, membolehkan
Cell Tissue Technology menjadi satu-satunya
syarikat yang boleh mengkomersialkan
produk perubatan seumpama MyDermTM.
Menariknya, Cell Tissue Technology
mensasarkan untuk menghasilkan lebih
banyak produk perubatan berteknologi tinggi
yang bukan saja menjurus kepada kulit tetapi
hampir ke semua organ tubuh manusia.
“Kulit ialah tisu dan dengan pengkulturan
sel daripada sampel sebesar 2cm x 6cm
yang diambil daripada tubuh Haziq telah
membolehkan kami menghasilkan kulit baru
tanpa memotong banyak kulit lain untuk
proses pencantuman kulit yang ada.
“Pertama pakar kejuruteraan tisu kami
meleraikan sampel tisu dalam makmal
kejuruteraan tisu. Ini akan membolehkannya
mengeluarkan sel kulit tersebut. Kulit terdiri
daripada dua lapisan. Lapisan luar dikenali
sebagai epidermis yang mengandungi sel
keratinocyte. Lapisan dalaman kenali sebagai
dermis, mengandungi sel fibroblast,” katanya.
Pengkulturan kedua-dua jenis sel dilakukan
secara berasingan kerana keperluan sel yang
berbeza. Apabila sel secukupnya telah berjaya
dihasilkan, kedua-dua lapisan kulit itu akan
dicantumkan satu sama lain.
“Semuanya diambil daripada pesakit seperti
kulit dan darah tetapi dalam kes Haziq, kami
menggunakan darah ayahnya bagi kultur
kulit dan hasilnya memang tiada tindak balas
penolakan kerana diambil daripada waris
terdekat,” katanya.
MyDermTM dikatakan yang pertama di
dunia kerana menggunakan sel daripada
individu sendiri untuk dibiakkan dan lebih
menarik tidak perlu risau dengan tindak balas
penolakan.
Malah teknik ini tidak perlu diragui tahap
halalnya kerana semua diambil daripada
individu yang sama atau waris mereka dan
tiada bendasing di dalamnya, terutama
daripada haiwan.
“Dalam masa dua hingga tiga minggu, 10
keping kulit gantian telah dapat dihasilkan
dan kemudian dilekatkan di bahagian melecur
di kaki Haziq. Pembedahan itu telah dapat
dilakukan dengan jayanya dan kini Haziq
bukan saja boleh berjalan tetapi berlari dan
bermain bola.” katanya.
Semua kultur kulit Haziq dijalankan di
makmal ‘bilik bersih’ bertaraf cGMP di
Makmal Cell Tissue Technology, PPUKM.
Dr. Khairul berkata, kes Haziq memerlukan
kerjasama
daripada
pelbagai
bidang
perubatan daripada pakar kultur tisu, bedah,
bius, motivasi, kejuruteraan tisu, psikitris dan
pakar transplant.
Selepas dua bulan di hospital, Haziq kembali
ke rumahnya dan mencuci luka di klinik
kesihatan berhampiran rumahnya dan
sebulan sekali perlu ke PPUKM untuk rawatan
susulan.
“Buat masa ini pihak kami telah menjalankan
ujian klinikal terhadap 10 orang pesakit dan
semuanya berjaya. Istimewanya Haziq ialah
pesakit kami paling muda,’ katanya.
Mereka yang berminat mengetahui lebih
lanjut tentang Cell Tissue Technology dan
rawatan MyDermTM boleh melawat laman web
www.celltissue.com.my atau e-mel ke e-mail@
celltissue.com.my.
(Cell Tissue Technology Sdn Bhd adalah penerima
dana CRDF di bawah Rancangan Malaysia Ke- 10)
Inventors get their ideas patented
to stay competitive in business
by Grace Chen
RM200,000. That was how much Bugs Tan, the
inventor of a lightweight anti-slip galvanised
steel grating system invested in his idea.
“I had to make the die and mould, pay Universiti
Malaya to run the finite element analysis, buy
a ton of aluminium and later, steel to make
samples, get third party certification from
SIRIM and file for the intellectual property
rights,” reveals Tan.
It began when the 53-year-old father of two
visited a friend’s steel fabrication workshop in
Klang and tried to straighten a crooked grating,
which had doubled as a welcome mat. The
exertion of having to move the heavy grate gave
Tan an idea to come up with a lighter version.
As a Pulau Ketam native where his family ran
the Hiap Seng hardware shop, Tan was no
stranger to innovation. Growing up in a small
island where walkways are the only means of
commute, he watched folks fixing small 5hp
Honda multipurpose engines to bicycles and
trolleys to add more zip in their lives.
trademarks and industrial design signifying
keen competition for new products.
Innovative business
As Robest Yong, the inventor of the Polyclone
instant rubber stamp machine, puts in
succinctly, commercialisation of an idea is not
simple.
For one, the heart must be in the right place.
“For an invention to be a success, the first step
is to identify the problem. Then comes the need
to find a solution. To do this, an inventor must
know what he wants as an end result,” says
Yong, 54.
The job is not done upon finding a solution
either. He must have the ability to come up
with a tangible product. For example, there
is no point claiming one has discovered the
formula for time travel if one cannot come up
with an actual working machine to prove the
theory.
“The Malaysian market for gratings is worth
RM200 million a year. I knew there were only
four major players in this sector. If I could win
just 5% of this market share, it would be great,”
says Tan.
Unfortunately, there was a snag.
“I was pitching for a contract with an oil
company when an engineer alerted me that
sparks can be created when steel falls on the
aluminium grates. On an oilrig, this would be
disastrous. Immediately, it was closed curtains
for me,” recalls Tan.
Financial loss and a bruised ego followed next
as before the contract pitch, Tan had a field day
with the press.
“I went through hard times,” confesses the
Meanwhile, Yong has also come up with a way
for the visually impaired to utilise phone apps
on touch screens using a perforated screen
protector.
ABCs of the invention industry, according to Yong
who conducts workshops on the subject.
Yong’s personal story harks back to 1994, when
he introduced Polyclone into the market, when
inventors still enjoyed a big playing field.
“My goal was to shorten the lead time needed
to make rubber stamps for company and
official stamps.
“From my main business as a print shop
supplier, I saw the potential in coming up
with a faster and less cumbersome way of
making rubber stamps. Using my earlier
experience as a printer technician, I knew
of a photopolymerisation technique and
incorporated it in a compact design reducing
what had previously taken the space of an
entire wall to the size of a lap top,” recalls Yong,
who at his peak, made between RM1 to RM2
million in profit from his idea using an existing
marketing route he had established with instant
printers, office supply and business systems
distributors from his client list.
Protection from copycats is a golden rule for inventors like Tan, seen here with his IPR certs.
former marine engines part salesman who now
runs workshops on innovation and creativity
and gives consultancy services.
Another thing is not to rest on one’s laurels.
Judging from statistics given by MyIPO,
2013 saw a total of 41,328 applications for
intellectual property rights covering patterns,
He also has his own brand of fertiliser,
inspired by a personal love for gardening.
The development is, supported by grants
from the Malaysian Technology Development
Corporation and research and development
was carried out by UiTM’s faculty of applied
Sciences in Shah Alam.
“The conventional process was tedious as it
required someone to pick the letters, place them
on a rubber plaster mould, burn the rubber
sheet in, wait for it to cool, thus producing the
relief piece of the rubber stamp pad. All this
takes a week.
“To be an inventor, you must have at least one
source of steady, reliable income first to finance
the experiments and support marketing
efforts,” advises Yong.
To give up or go on?
the making of a rubber band so the user may
leverage on the extra grip.
He is currently looking for a rubber band
manufacturer who can follow his design
specifications.
Surely, he could do something about a heavy
grate. “My first choice was to use aluminium as
it was 60% lighter than steel. So, I bought one
ton of it and started making samples,” recalls
Tan.
Ambitiously, he targeted the oil and gas
industry, confident his invention would be
ideal for rig platforms.
Detachable rubber stamps still on sale from Yong’s Polycone heydays proves good ideas do last.
“Like trends, ideas can become passe so an
inventor must always come up with fresh ones,”
says Yong who in line with the current rubber
band craze is proposing a new design, which
will make untangling easier. This will require
the incorporating of a tiny latex tab during
redeeming his reputation.He went back to the
drawing boards, this time using steel but in the
form of flat plates turned into ‘U’ shapes.
In addition to building a machine to fabricate
his U steel bars, Tan also made it a point to
protect his product by filing for the intellectual
property rights.
“The 20 year patent for Malaysia cost about
RM8,000 including the lawyer’s fee. There is
an additional RM2,000 for an examination to
ensure the idea is novel.
The industrial design and brand patent cost
me another RM5,000. Later on, I will be filing
a patent for China and I believe this would cost
another RM12,000” reveals Tan.
He admits to taking the above steps to appeal
to his current investor, NCMC Manufacturing
(formerly Nidec Copal) who has bought the
license to produce the grates. The deal will see
Tan receiving a monthly fee and a percentage of
royalty from the gross profit. If the percentage
amount is to exceed Tan’s monthly-agreed
fee, the company will be exempted from this
payment as an incentive for higher sales.
NCMC managing director Daniel Tan (not
related) affirms legal protection is crucial from
an investor’s point of view.
Cheap but effective solutions can be found anywhere,
like this perforated screen protector that allows the
blind to access a touch screen.
Yong’s fertiliser formula, priced at RM29.90
and is sold via multi-level marketing in
Indonesia and at local nurseries and has been
in the market for the past eight years. Annual
sales are reported to touch a few hundred
thousand ringgit.
Now, back to Tan, who inadvertently made his
comeback in 2007 when he won an RM25,000
cash prize for his grating system.
Though he had managed to sell his grates to a
heavy lift and tower crane company, a power
station and a paper factory, Tan was bent on
“This field sees a very small community. If it
is copied, it’d only take a short time for us to
find the culprit. However, before we can go
after them, the legal work must already be
in place and that is why an inventor’s rights
to the intellectual property are important.
Another is to see how many manufacturers
are holding the license. If it has been sold to
10 other factories for example, the competition
would be too great for us,” says Daniel whose
company has invested a quarter of a million
into the development of a production line over
the past three months.
NCMC is expected to pump in another RM1
million to install a robotic system to double
production capacity in anticipation of the
response from an upcoming oil and gas
services exhibition and conference this month
at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center.
“We are just starting to expose the product
and have high hopes of its success,” says Daniel
hinting at a possible happy ending for Tan.
Source : The Star Online
2015 budget: RM1.3b
for innovation and
commercialisation
programmes
KUALA LUMPUR: The government
is allocating RM1.3 billion to the
Ministry of Science, Technology
and Innovation for innovation and
commercialisation programmes.
themed “People Economy” at the
Dewan Rakyat here today.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak
said currently, Malaysia’s Research and
Development (R&D) expenditure as a
share of the Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) was low compared with
advanced economies, such as Japan
and South Korea.
“For this, an SME Technology
Penetration
and
Upgrading
Programme and technology auditing
will be implemented,” he added.
Najib, who is also Finance Minister,
said SIRIM would be re-branded.
He said the programmes to be
implemented
would
include
commercialisation of 360 high-impact
innovative products within the next
five years.
He said the government was also
allocating RM50 million for the
introduction of a new initiative, the
Public Private Research Network,
spearheaded by the Education
Ministry in collaboration with the
Malaysian Technology Development
Corporation.
Research funds, amounting to RM290
million, would also be provided to
implement various high-impact R&D
and commercialisation programmes,
he said when tabling the Budget 2015
An additional allocation of RM50
million is made to strengthen
Technology
Commercialisation
Platform Programme by Agensi
Inovasi Malaysia, he added.–BERNAMA
Date : 31st October 2014
Title : MTDC Signs Mou in Dubai
Retrieved from: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v7/bu/newsbusiness.php?id=1080673
MTDC Signs MoU in Dubai
COMMS-MediaMonitoring(009_Oct2014 )
–BERNAMA

Sarawak Energy Inks PPA with Malaysian Phosphate

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