KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia is seeking to strengthen its research and development (R&D) ecosystem and accelerate the commercialization of local research as it moves towards a "Made by Malaysia" approach, Malaysian Second Finance Minister Amir Hamzah Azizan said on Tuesday.
Malaysia is moving from a "Made in Malaysia" to a "Made by Malaysia" approach to boost value creation and economic upgrading, local media cited Amir Hamzah as saying.
Although R&D spending has reached about 1 percent of gross domestic product, or nearly 20 billion ringgit (4.91 billion U.S. dollars), the key challenge is translating research into commercial outcomes, he said.
"The issue is not just the amount of R&D but whether it leads to value capture in the country," he said during a panel session at the University Research and Innovation Investment Summit 2026.
Amir Hamzah said the government is aligning research with national priorities, including the New Industrial Master Plan 2030, the National Semiconductor Strategy and the Energy Transition Roadmap.
He added that 120 billion ringgit has been committed through initiatives over five years, alongside about 10 billion ringgit for venture and growth funds. (1 ringgit equals 0.25 U.S. dollars) ■
