Raja Muda of Selangor, Tengku Amir Shah ibni Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj, has graced the launching of the Selangor Biotechnology Action Plan 2021-2030 in conjunction with the Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) 2021.
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), together with the Malaysian Biotechnology Information Centre (MABIC) and Bioeconomy Corporation, was appointed by Invest Selangor Berhad (ISB) as consultants for policy paper development of the Selangor Biotechnology Action Plan 2021-2030.
Deputy Dean (Industry and Community Relations), Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences (FBSB), UPM, Prof. Ts. Dr. Hidayah Ariffin, who is also the Consultancy Project Manager, said the selection of UPM as a consultant was a recognition to UPM lecturers.
“The team of UPM lecturers have gone through a selection process in stages which involved the presentation of a proposal paper to the Selangor Exco and the ISB management. Our group was selected as joint consultants with MABIC and Bioeconomy Corporation, which are key players in the biotechnology sector in Malaysia,” she said.
She said the Selangor Biotechnology Action Plan 2021-2030 policy paper took almost two years to develop, which began from preparing the proposal paper to the approval at the Selangor Economic Action Council (MTES) chaired by the Menteri Besar.
“Within two years, information collection and identification of the biotechnology ecosystem was carried out in Selangor involving various methods such as literacy surveys, stakeholder surveys, focused group discussions (FGD) with local and foreign biotechnology sector players and gap analysis.
“This launch is a historic moment for our team. It is hoped that it will benefit the people of Selangor in particular and Malaysians in general,” she said.
UPM consultants involved are from FBSB and the School of Business and Economics (SPE), UPM, led by Prof. Dato’ Dr. Mohd Ali Hassan, followed by Prof. Datin Paduka Dr. Khatijah Yusoff, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Zulkhairi Mohd Yusoff, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd Rafein Zakaria, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norhayati Ramli, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohammad Faizal Ibrahim, Dr. Ahmad Muhaimin Roslan, Dr. Ezyana Kamal Bahrin, Dr. Tengku Arisyah Tengku Yasim-Anuar; Dr. Farah Nadia Mohammad Padzil, Prof. Dr. Shaufique Fahmi Ahmad Sidique (SPE); Dr. Muhammad Daaniyall Abd Rahman (SPE) and Dr Noor Azlin Ismail (SPE).
Prof. Ts. Dr. Hidayah said the action plan included the state government’s commitment and aspiration to make Selangor a Biotechnology and Bioeconomy Hub in Southeast Asia.
“Selangor has the vision to make the biotechnology sector the main driver of the economy. The Selangor Biotechnology Action Plan 2021-2030 establishes biotechnology-related governance to decide policies, implement and monitor strategies and initiatives for the biotechnology sector in Selangor,” she said.
Meanwhile, the briefing session on Selangor Biotechnology Action Plan 2021-2030 was held in the afternoon by Prof. Ts. Dr. Hidayah and the Vice President of Bioeconomy Corporation, Datin Aznita Naziz.
It aimed to provide information to stakeholders in the field of biotechnology in Malaysia regarding the thrusts, goals, action plans and initiatives introduced in the Selangor Biotechnology Action Plan 2021-2030 policy paper.
The policy paper contains five thrusts, 10 goals, 35 action plans and 43 initiatives to be implemented by various agencies under the state government and led by the implementation unit established under Invest Selangor Berhad. – UPM
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