(Miri, 23rd) Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dato Haji Mohammad Yusof bin Apdal, stated that technology and innovation must enter communities to serve the people, especially grassroots groups, in line with the idea of a "Civilized Malaysia."
He made these remarks this morning while delivering his opening speech at the Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony and the inauguration of the Miri Creative Space (Regional Development Centre, RDC), jointly organized by the Sarawak State Library (Pustaka Negeri Sarawak) and the Malaysian Innovation Foundation (Yayasan Inovasi Malaysia, YIM) at the Miri Electronic Library Multimedia Gallery.
He said that currently, 23 Regional Development Centres have been set up nationwide, benefiting local communities, while the Miri R&D Centre is Sarawak's second such facility after the Sibu Digital Innovation Centre. The Miri Centre positions itself as an inclusive design, technology training, and social innovation center, serving people from all walks of life in Miri and surrounding areas, regardless of background.
"The Regional Development Centre adopts the 'Quintuple Helix' model, whereby government, industry, academia, society, and environment closely collaborate. This not only enriches educational and skills training resources, but also creates innovative, locally-based solutions to social problems."
He pointed out that Sarawak's unique cultural diversity and entrepreneurial spirit make the Regional Development Centres an important catalyst for driving sustainable and inclusive technological transformation that meets the real needs of the state's residents. For this reason, he especially thanked the Sarawak State Government and the Miri State Library for their efforts and support in establishing the Miri Regional Development Centre.
He revealed that the Miri Regional Development Centre will implement several technology modules, including 3D resin display cabinets, Glow Sense ultrasonic LED lights, Dobot robotic arm laser engraving, and virtual reality exploration, reflecting that technology applications have now extended to grassroots groups such as the B40 low-income group, people with disabilities, rural residents, and single mothers.
"This aligns with the concept of the 'Social Innovation Policy (DIS)'—'from the community, for the community.' The DIS policy aims to solve socio-economic challenges such as social inequality, unemployment, and the urban-rural technology gap through elements of technological innovation, and it is also an important measure to implement the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (DSTIN) 2021–2030."
He emphasized that the construction of Regional Development Centres should focus on quality and high impact, not only pursuing the growth in numbers but also tailoring to local conditions, strengthening local innovation quality, and product competitiveness.
"Moving towards a more innovative and sustainable future requires comprehensive collaboration between government, academia, the business community, and society. The state government should continue to strengthen the social innovation ecosystem, academic institutions should reach out from campuses to serve communities, enterprises should open platforms for grassroots innovators and transfer technology and skills, and all sectors of society should keep learning, communicating, and innovating."
He said that the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and the Malaysian Innovation Foundation (YIM) will continue to strengthen the social innovation ecosystem through research grants, expanding the RDC network, and establishing high-impact international collaborations.
He expressed his gratitude to all the YIM teams, state government partners, and local communities involved in the construction of the RDC, noting that their efforts have made the birth of the Miri Creative Space possible.
