BY ALEXANDRA LORNA and NATASHA JEE
KUCHING: Sarawak is open to cooperation and knowledge sharing with other countries, including Japan and China, on the seed production industry.
Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said Sarawak has shown an open policy towards technological progress and is actively involved in research collaboration.
With Japan’s leading seed producers eyeing the region for further growth, particularly in watermelon and melon seeds, he said the Sarawak government is open to entrepreneurs seizing this opportunity.
“However, a strong focus on research and development (R&D) is essential in aiming to become a competitive player in the global seed industry,” he added.
Since R&D is important in the seed industry, he urged the relevant ministry to identify suitable nursery industries to produce high quality seeds.
“This initiative aims to encourage collaboration between the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC) and the nursery industry that has been identified to find valuable plants, including those with pharmaceutical applications,” he said.
He said this during the ‘Sunday Morning with Premier 2.0 Dialogue Session with Young Entrepreneurs on New Economy’ event held at the Imperial Hotel here on yesterday (July 9).
He said Sarawak has also established a collaboration between SBC and experts from China which has had success in producing algae lipids.
On a related note, Abang Johari mentioned the importance of protecting intellectual property (IP) through proper registration to avoid unauthorised use of research results.
He referred to the New Zealand fruit product case, involving the Kiwi fruit, which demonstrated the importance of IP registration.
“New Zealand’s failure to register their IP allows other countries to produce kiwi fruit freely, and they register their IP.
“To avoid the same scenario, researchers and entrepreneurs must refer to lawyers who are IP experts and register their findings to protect their rights as seed producers,” he said.
