KUALA LUMPUR: Industry players can make forays abroad under the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), especially in the US, provided they meet the accreditation standards set.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau said the matter must be taken seriously as TPP member states would certainly look into standard compliance before allowing the entry of products and services.
“This means whether we like it or not, we have to embrace the standards, get accreditation, I’m sure definitely, TPP will accelerate the need for standards.
“If you do not want to encounter market access problem, be proactive from now onwards, be familiar with the interests and needs for standards in the countries concerned,” he told reporters after presenting the Standards and Accreditation (StAr) Awards 2015 organised by the Department of Standards Malaysia, here yesterday.
Malaysia needs more accreditation bodies and laboratories to speed up the evaluation process and compliance standards, he said, adding that so far, 26 accreditation bodies, including 14 local ones, had been set up.
There are also 594 accreditation labs run by government agencies, public universities and the private sector, he added.
He said the government would intensify efforts to create awareness on the importance of standards, including standards-related activities, wealth intellectual and patent in conjunction with the Year of the Commercialisation Malaysia next year.
Standards Malaysia director-general Datuk Fadilah Baharin said from next year, the government would impose standards on companies vying for government contracts.
“As most small and medium enterprises are not accredited, I urge them to seek help from Standards Malaysia and get at least the ISO 9000 Standards,” she said. — Bernama