(Back row) Othman (fourth right) and Abdul Razak (sixth left) with the winners of the Inclusive Innovation Challenge 2017 for Sarawak Zone.
KUCHING: Many innovative products submitted for the Inclusive Innovation Challenge 2017 for Sarawak Zone were creative but can be better with more focus on market demand, prototyping ideas and taking ideas to maturity.
Malaysian Innovation Foundation organised the challenge as part of the High Impact Programme 6 (HIP6) under the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Masterplan.
Its senior manager Dr Othman Omar said: “We hope to see next year more innovative products that benefit the community, especially in rural areas.”
Othman officiated at the closing ceremony for the Inclusive Innovation Challenge 2017 for Sarawak Zone at Pullman Hotel yesterday.
The challenge received 77 submissions under three categories: Public, Private and Public Higher Learning Institutions (IPTA/S) and Private and Goverment Agencies. Thirty-two innovations were presented on May 3 and 4.
The challenge was exploiting creativity and innovativeness to develop solutions for problems in consumerism, health, productivity and education.
“This programme is for identifying, developing and delivering quality innovative products affordable to marginalised group in particular,” he said.
Programme director Abdul Razak Ahmad said innovation was more than problem-solving, but involved improving methods and processes.
“We need the innovative and creative culture to steer Malaysia towards advanced nation status and transform the economy to be globally competitive,” he said.
Abdul Razak hopes participants will improve the quality of their products and services.
In the Public category, Dayangku Khalizawati Awangku Serma of Krep Krep Farm from Kuching won with her project ‘Producing Mushroom Seedlings for Producers in Sarawak’ while Mohd Asyraf Junos, also from Kuching was in second place (Home Compostera) and Ahmad Hisyam Hamid from MRSM Betong, third (I-Keen Cooler).
In the IPTA/S category, Desmond Anji Entebong from Mara Skills Institute Bintulu won with Pepper Processor 1.0 project, while Muhammad Nurhelmi Ahmad of University Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) was second (Safrond: Prebiotic Drink, Safrond: L-Lactic Acid Skin Peel) and Shasi Marruti Mahanantha Kumarasamy from Kuching Politeknik, third (Identification and Production of Anti-Diabetic Agent from Herbal Plants).
In the Private and Government Agencies category, Siti Sahmsiah Sahmat from Universiti Technologi Mara Sarawak Branch Samarahan Campus took the first and third prizes with 3-in-1 Cocoirport and Handy Pepper Harvester projects respectively, while Nurul Dafiqah Kamarulzaman from Kuching Community College was second (Blindwriter Keyboard Cover).
Each of the winners took home RM5,000, certificate and trophy while first runner-ups RM3,000 and certificate, and second runner-ups RM1,000 and certificate.
A Special Award went to Mechanical Engineering Department of Kuching Politeknik for their Portable Air Conditioning Servicing Kit.
SME Corp Malaysia Sarawak director Esmawady Mohamad Esa and Politeknik Kuching senior lecturer Zainal Abidin Ahmad were present.