Len Talif (fifth left) striking the gong to officiate at ICOS while Jamil (second right) and others look on. – Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi
KUCHING: The state government looks forward to actively pursue researches aimed at generating products for the betterment of human existence and global environment.
In view of this, Assistant Minister for Workforce Development and Training Datu Len Talif Salleh hopes to see research of interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary nature being carried out in collaboration with local and international institutions of higher learning as well as initiatives in forming research linkages with industries.
“Universities in the country will do their best to ensure a well-equipped research environment which will encourage local and international connections.
“With keen researchers, creditable infrastructure, conducive environment and committed collaborators, universities have the opportunity to significantly contribute towards not only the development of chemical-based industries but also the generation of new scientific knowledge,” he said when officiating the International Conference in Organic Synthesis (ICOS) 2016 dinner at a leading hotel here on Monday.
Len Talif, who is also Assistant Minister of Environment, pointed out that research activities would create new knowledge, resulting in breakthroughs and innovations.
“This is very much in line with the programmes outlined in our country’s Second Science & Technology (S&T) Policy to maximise the utilisation and advancement of S&T as a tool for sustaining economic development, the improvement of quality of life and national security.”
On ICOS, Len Talif said the conference provided the opportunity for organic chemists to come together to present their research findings, discuss matters of common interest and to ponder on the development of the global scientific community generally and Malaysia specifically.
“Scientists and researchers from various academic institutions, industries and private sectors should take advantage of this event to develop collaboration as well as create networking and linkages.”
He also noted that the conference’s organisers Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) have a role to play not only in spearheading the research at their respective universities in niche areas such as organic synthesis and advanced materials but also as a centre for training future scientists through their postgraduate programmes.
“This is in line with one of the government’s higher education strategies to increase the number of doctorates especially in science, in Malaysia.
“It is undeniable that research and knowledge creation creates a special atmosphere in education. Thus, I am sure that our respectable guests and speakers will undoubtedly assist and support us in strengthening and improving our research agenda and postgraduate activities,” he said.
The four-day ICOS, participated by over 100 academicians, researchers and postgraduate students from countries such as Japan, Taiwan, China, Thailand, India and Malaysia, aims to be a flagship event for the international organic chemistry community, gathering organic chemists from academic circles, industries as well as private institutions across the globe for fruitful discussion.
Its main objective is to provide an international platform for not only discussing the customary fundamental aspects of organic chemistry which are chemical reaction and methodologies, but also highlighting organic synthesis in advanced materials research, drug discovery and process development for commercialisation.
Plenary sessions will be presented by distinguished speakers Prof Minoru Isobe and Prof Biing-Jiun Uang from well-known research institutes in Thailand and Taiwan as well as other invited speakers from Japan, China and Indonesia.
Also present during the dinner were UiTM Sarawak rector Prof Datuk Dr Jamil Hamali and ICOS steering committee
chairperson Assoc Prof Dr Zainab Ngaini.