KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- Malaysia must have the ambition and capability to help shape the global technology frontier, rather than merely follow existing trends, said Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Mohammad Yusof Apdal.
He said this requires strengthening local talent and capabilities, fostering strategic partnerships and supporting homegrown businesses, so that Malaysian technologies can be developed, adopted and scaled up domestically and internationally.
“For many years, we have proudly carried the words “Made in Malaysia”. The next chapter should take us further, towards technologies that are invented, engineered and trusted in Malaysia, and ultimately deployed around the world,” he said at the launch of the MIMOS Technology Preview (MTP) 2026 here today.
Mohammad Yusof emphasised that advancing deep technologies, such as AI, cybersecurity, autonomous systems, semiconductor technologies and quantum computing, is essential not only for economic growth but also for national resilience and future competitiveness.
“Innovation does not end in the laboratory. A successful innovation ecosystem also requires strong companies that can bring technologies to the market.
Technology beyond boundaries therefore requires collaboration beyond boundaries, between government, industry, investors, researchers, academia and global technology partners,” he said.
Mohammad Yusof said MIMOS Berhad, as the national applied R&D (research and development) centre under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), plays a pivotal role in bridging the journey from research to the commercial marketplace.
To date, MIMOS has licensed 17 technology packages under the 12th Malaysia Plan and built a robust intellectual property portfolio, with over 2,000 patents filed across various domains.
Currently, MIMOS has 29 Technology Release Package versions ready for technology transfer and commercialisation, with another 22 progressing towards Technology Readiness Assessment by the end of 2026, while quotations issued for these innovations have already exceeded RM2.2 million.
To accelerate local tech adoption, Mohammad Yusof encouraged the government, industry and strategic stakeholders to act as early adopters and pilot partners, providing reference sites that help Malaysian innovations gain international credibility.
Meanwhile, MIMOS Berhad president and Group chief executive officer Dr Saat Shukri Embong, when met after the event, emphasised that the true measure of technology lies in its ability to deliver tangible benefits to the public and safeguard national interests.
“The technology is only proven useful if people on the street can feel the benefit of what we are doing. The two main things that we really want to make happen are actually society's well-being and technology sovereignty,” he said.
He noted that establishing homegrown technological capabilities is crucial to national security and data sovereignty, ensuring that critical infrastructure and data systems remain protected under local authority.
“By bringing all these people together, we want to create businesses, create opportunities. Most importantly, when we have our own technology, we protect our country and technology sovereignty,” Saat Shukri added.
Themed “Technology Beyond Boundaries: Advancing Malaysia’s Technology Frontier”, MTP 2026 gathered key ecosystem players, including investors, venture capitalists, industry leaders and researchers, to explore opportunities in commercialisation, investment and cross-sector collaboration.
Unlike previous showcase-centric editions, this year’s preview provided stakeholders with an immersive experience within the MIMOS ecosystem, offering a firsthand look at how homegrown deep-tech innovations are developed and brought to market.
-- BERNAMA