KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has proposed for some of the government agencies involved in the innovation sector to be merged or streamlined in order to improve efficiency and avoid duplication.
At present, he said, the government had a host of ministries and agencies participating in the sector including the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry, the Finance Ministry, the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry, the Global Science Innovation Advisory Council, the Economic Planning Unit and the Performance Management Delivery Unit.
At last count, government entities involved in innovation and technology include five departments under the Prime Minister's Department; three ministries with direct technology funding; six ministries with technology associations; three regulators; eight councils; three development corporations with funding; seven development agencies or corporations; one foundation; six research institutes; three industry associations; five mutual funds; five managed funds and 11 funding agencies or bodies.
"With such a myriad of entities with so many roles to play, there is a need for us to streamline (these agencies) to avoid duplication. We need to amalgamate some of the agencies so that we have a leaner and more effective structure moving forward," Najib said while closing the 11th Khazanah Megatrends Forum today.
The government, he said, would continue to be invested in guiding and facilitating a Malaysian knowledge-driven economy, including prioritising Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (Stem) and English language skills in education to cultivate future talent and develop a sustainable innovative ecosystem.
Najib said the need to develop a good command of English was paramount despite the need to preserve the local identity, alluding to resistance from some quarters against improving their English language skills.
"In the world today, there are two forces working in diametrically-opposite directions. The first is globalisation, which is bringing together people all over the world, but the second is the emphasis on local identity, where it is all about protecting one own’s rules.
"This paradox is seen in countries such as Scotland, which after many years is starting to ask for independence from the UK. This is a global phenomena.
“Still, the need to be proficient in English is paramount. I feel we are not quite there yet, so we need to push harder so that the level of proficiency is enhanced at a much higher level," he said.
The government, he said, played a crucial role in innovation, having undertaken measures and policies to encourage the development of a knowledge-driven innovation economy.
He said these included the Multimedia Super Corridor, or MSC Malaysia, which has contributed over RM275 billion in revenue, RM206 billion worth of investments, and more than 147,000 jobs since its inception in 1996.
"These are the tangible results that innovation-centred, government-driven initiatives can achieve," he said.