PUTRAJAYA: A total of 116 applications for research and development (R&D) in science, technology and innovation (STI) projects have been approved to date involving allocations of RM257 million, said Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Chang Lih Kang.
He said the applications were received from STI-related companies and public and private institutions of higher learning as well as public research institutes through the Integrated Fund System (SDB) digital platform which was adopted in July 2021.
In efforts to increase the number of effective and high-impact R&D and innovations, he said the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) hoped the outcome of the research would not end just at the report writing or are published in journals.
“It must be continued up to the commercialisation stage so that all the investments provided by the government would be translated into improving the socio-economy and return on investment to the nation,“ he said to reporters after officiating the Research, Development, Commercialisation and Innovation (R&D&C&I) Convention here, today.
Chang who also launched the SDB at the event said there are five financing schemes offered via the digital platform, namely Applied Innovation Fund (AIF); Technology Development Fund 1 (TeD1); Technology Development Fund 2 (TeD2); Bridging Fund; and Strategic Research Fund through Implementing and Monitoring Agencies (SRF-APP).
At present, some 23,000 users are registered on the digital platform, he added.
SDB which can be browsed at www.sdb.mosti.gov.my has been developed by MOSTI’s Information Technology Management Division and Fund Division. It is aimed at facilitating the ministry’s R&D fund management in line with the public sector digitalisation initiative.
Meanwhile, secretary of Fund Division Imran Abdullah said the division would undertake periodic monitoring on all approved STI R&D projects to ensure the objectives of each project are achieved within the stipulated time.
He said each funding category has a timeframe for project implementation, which have been set at between 12 and 36 months.–Bernama
