Malaysia's YIM ties up with NIF for grassroot innovations

The Malaysian Foundation for Innovation or Yayasan Inovasi Malaysia (YIM) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Innovation Foundation of India (NIF) to collaborate on harvesting, nurturing and promoting the culture of creativity and innovation among Malaysians and also in scouting and commercialising grassroots innovations.

“Both parties are expected to share resources and expertise to develop specific programmes for targeted audience in line with YIM’s and NIF’s objective of reaching out to the youth, women, people with disabilities and the grassroots communities. This would be achieved via jointly organised programmes, which have common interests to both parties such as forums, seminars, workshops and training on subjects related to creativity and innovation,” said Raslan Ahmad, CEO, YIM.

The MoU, to remain in effect for three years, was signed by Raslan Ahmad, CEO of YIM and Anil Gupta, executive vice chairperson of NIF at a ceremony in conjunction with the second Malaysia-India Joint Committee Meeting on Cooperation in Science And Technology (S&T).

YBhgDato’ Madinah Mohamad, secretary general, Malaysian ministry of science, technology and innovation (MOSTI) and T Ramasami, secretary to the government of India, department of science and technology and Head of Indian delegation to Malaysia were also present at the occasion.

The Malaysian delegation led by its science, technology and innovation minister Maximus Ongkili had visited Ahmedabad to look at strategic partnerships with innovation agencies like NIF.

“NIF will also be supporting the forthcoming Kuala Lumpur Innovation Forum (KILF) 2011, to be held between from November 15 – 16, 2011, which is all set to promote a global, regional and national agenda towards achieving an innovative society status and a high income and advanced economy,” said Anil Gupta, executive vice chairperson, NIF.