The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry plans to declare 2012 as the Year of Science to further inculcate the importance of science as the base for innovation, its minister, Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili, said today.

He said as a build-up to 2012, the ministry, beginning next year, would concentrate substantial efforts on the promotion of science especially among budding scientists in schools.

"We plan to hold nationwide programmes to promote wider appreciation of science and technology among Malaysians," he said at the Malaysia Toray Science Foundation (MTSF) prize presentation ceremony in Kuala Lumpur.

"Called the ‘I Love Science’ programme, it will focus on deepening interest and acceptance of science and mathematics, with activities to be carried out together with various ministries such as the Education Ministry, Youth and Sports Ministry, non-governmental organisations and professional bodies," he added.

Ongkili also called on scientists and researchers to actively participate in the programmes.

He said cooperation and participation of all stakeholders were very important in ensuring such efforts were successful.

Two new bodies created

Ongkili said the Malaysian government was now looking at a total innovation process with a strengthened science base to drive the development agenda of the country.

He said the government has strategised for the immediate future through the creation of two synergistic bodies which would manage, end-to-end, the ecosystem of research and its translation into economic value.

"This has manifested in the formation of the National Science and Research Council and the Malaysian Innovation Agency which will respectively consolidate research and development and innovation strategies for the country," he said.

The MTSF prize was established in 1993 by the Japan-based Toray Industries Incorporated to promote science and technology in Malaysia.

For this year, RM410,000 was presented to two outstanding Malaysian scientists, 17 researchers and 15 science educators from all over the country.

This year's top science and technology award was presented to Dr Lee Siew Yoong from the Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute and Prof Dr Suhaila Mohamed from Universiti Putra Malaysia.

- Bernama