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AgBiotech
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Kemunting
fruits, which look like blueberries but actually come
from the guava family, grow abundantly in the Merang area. This
fruit is a favorite amongst the locals here who would just go
wandering about and picking them off the tree. Research officer,
Salahuddin Tamby from Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development
Institute (MARDI) said, “MARDI had come up with a process
to turn the berries into jam and juice back in 1980s and had received
positive feedback on the product.” On the other hand, MARDI
director Wahab Ismail said that the technology for processing
the fruits are available but not the planting of trees which contributed
to the hesitation felt by investors as there might not be enough
supply for commercialization. |
Another
plant that generated interest was kenaf. Five
kenaf seed varieties have been imported from the US
by Sabah based Harusmas Agro Sdn. Bhd. The company has started
its own research to explore the uses of these varieties. Rahman
Khan said that kenaf can be a new source of foreign exchange for
the state as well as the country through its value-added products.
The five kenaf varieties planted showed food adaptability to the
local environment. He reiterated that forested land should not
be cleared for the purpose of commercially planting kenaf as it
is an environmentally friendly plant. Kenaf holds great potential
for Malaysia as it could be an important alternative to timber.
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Food
& Nutrition
‘Is
it a fruit or vegetable?’ This is the most common argument
based around a tomato. Either way, the benefits
that come from this food is undeniable. Tomatoes are
found to contain substances that could not only prevent wrinkles
formation, but possibly prevent cancer. According to American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, cooked tomatoes have increased
levels of phytochemicals that can be absorbed by the body. Apart
from that, tomatoes have also been found to reduce platelet activity
by 70%, making it possible to consider it as an alternative to
aspirin. Lastly, for those who are troubled by blackheads, tomato
juice helps dissolve blackheads as it has skin refining properties.
All that has to be done is rub it all over your face! |
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The
fast paced lifestyle of the modern world comes with it the lack
of hours in a day- even to eat. Consumers turn to the convenience
of processed food and yet many of us still worry that processed
food is unhealthy. The misconception is unfounded. Food processing
could be as simple as washing and cutting of fruits to the canning
or freezing of meat or vegetables. No doubt, additives are added
to foods but it is not without regulation and limits posed by
the government. Moreover, additives serve to also prevent foods
from any microorganism development. Other benefits
of food processing are
that longer shelf life, the increase of availability of food,
and believe it or not, increase of nutrition rather than the opposite.
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Industry
& Environment
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The
State Forestry Department director, Datuk Azahar Muda, opened
Papan
Herbal Park as a place for recreation as well as cultivation
of herbs. The park has a variety of local herbs which are used
as remedies to all sorts of diseases, discomforts or even as supplements
to health. The director has plans to open similar parks in four
forest districts. “Forest districts to adopt a school in
their jurisdiction and help the school set up a mini herbal park
to encourage students to learn more about nature and landscaping,”
encouraged the director. The Papan Herbal Park also offers guided
tours for those who are interested. |
On a nationwide scale,
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said that further research
in Malaysia and regeneration
of mangrove forests is needed as these forests show great
resilience in breaking the full force of the tsunami. He also said that
the challenge for a developing country such as Malaysia is to achieve
economic and social advancement, as well as gain scientific and technological
expertise without harming or depleting natural resources.
Emphasis
was also put on the importance
of international biodiversity governance
through the principle of access
and benefit sharing (ABS) of biological resources. Prime Minister
Badawi attended the Conference of Biodiversity: Science and Governance,
where he touched on Malaysia’s governance on environmental
issues as well as the complex inter-relationship between developed
and developing nations when it comes to access of technology.
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Investment
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EcoFuture
Bhd invested RM30million
in a pulp-making plant which would produce 20 tonnes
of pulp using oil palm empty fruit bunches (EFB) daily. “This
will be the first plant in Malaysia to produce pulp for paper
making and related products,” says managing director Yeo
Kim Luan. The future plans of EcoFuture include inducing local
buyers to switch to the EFB pulp through pricing. |
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In
Penang, the Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said that biotechnology
blueprint needs to reflect fiscal incentives to draw
and retain both local and foreign investors in Malaysia while
providing the entry of high-level foreign human resources. He
differentiated the biotechnology industry from electronics industry
by saying that, “the biotech industry is a high cost sector
which requires additional incentives and support.” Koh is
currently visiting other countries to draw on their knowledge
as well as forging ties for foreign investors to come into Malaysia.
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Medical
& Health
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Fermented
tapioca is currently being explored to see if it holds properties
that would help in the prevention against cancer. Dr. Latifah
Saiful, a lecturer at the Universiti Putra Malaysia, was awarded
Makna Cancer Research Award 2004 and is working with a team
to learn
the properties of fermented tapioca.
Positive results have been obtained from preliminary tests showing
that seven types of cancer could be prevented by eating ‘tapai
ubi’- fermented tapioca. On another front of research,
Lim Moon Nian, a researcher with the Institute for Medical Research,
is looking for an alternative cure for leukemia patients who
do not respond to chemotherapy treatment. According to Makna,
or the National Cancer Council of Malaysia, one in four Malaysians
are at risk of getting cancer in their lifetime. |
Trade
& Policy
Pharmaniaga
Bhd is taking advantage of the vibrant
growth in the pharmaceutical industry as well as
the spillover effects from the growth in the biotech and medical
tourism industries this year, recording a significant increase
in the price of its stocks. |
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Another
company making its fortune out of the advancement of technology
is EcoFuture Bhd. The company gained
as much as 30% of its overall revenue from biodegradable
food packaging products. Ecopack, comprises of ecofibre derived
from natural oil palm, is made without chemicals and have less
than 1% oil content. The company is looking at opportunities
to export Ecopack packaging to Taiwan and Japan. |
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In
keeping with the oil palm theme, approval to set up a RM 200million
refinery to produce
biodiesel from palm oil is sought by the Plantations,
Industries and Commodities Ministry as it would greatly benefit
the palm oil industry. “There are two proposals that we
are looking at, the first is to blend petroleum diesel with
palm diesel and the other is to convert palm oil into methyl
ester which can be used as fuel,” said Minister Datuk
Peter Chin Fah Kui. He also noted that success of such projects
had occurred in Europe using rape seeds and sunflower seeds.
Currently, Brazil is using the same technology to experiment
on sugar cane. |
With all these developments taking
place, it is only right for the Ninth
Malaysia Plan to focus on information technology and biotechnology.
This is echoed by Datuk Seri Dr Jamaluddin Mohd. Jarjis, the Minister
of Science, Technology and Innovation. He conferred that the plan
would be a proposal on ‘revisiting’ the nation’s
research and development focus. The information technology and biotechnology
sectors are the main focus of the plan as these industries would lead
to the opening of more job opportunities for Malaysians and at the
same time bringing in more revenue to the country.
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