Petronas Chemicals Group Berhad (PCG) and Leaf Malaysia have entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in relation to Leaf’s proposed biorefinery project in Malaysia.
Leaf Resources Ltd, the Australian company focused on making sustainable products from plant biomass, together with Leaf Development, its US-based joint development partner, achieved significant milestones related to the development in Malaysia of at least one commercial-scale, second-generation, bio-chemical production facility.
Malaysian Biotechnology Corp (BiotechCorp) has been rebranded to Malaysian Bioeconomy Development Corp (Bioeconomy Corp). Along with the name change, the corporation transformed their corporate identity with a new logo and expanded its roles as well as functions, reflecting the organisation’s position as the leading economic development agency to spearhead the bio-based industry in Malaysia.
The next economic development of Malaysia will be biobased. Brooke Renewables and Hock Lee Group – which has experience in manufacturing of industrial glue and plywood and has investment in oil palm plantation – have presented a Letter of Intent (LOI) to the state government, marking their intention to invest in the 2G (second generation) bioethanol and biochemical plant as the first phase of the Sarawak Biomass Hub project.
“The Malaysian bioeconomy today is worth more than USD 4.4 billion (RM14 billion) and creates over 83,000 people. As you can see, bioeconomy is an important component in creating a more sustainable future where resources are used in the most efficient way. In 2020, Bioeconomy’s contribution towards Malaysia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is targeted to contribute 8%-10% from the current 2%-3%”. To say this, in this long exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista, is Zurina Che Dir, Senior Vice President Bioeconomy Development Division of the Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation. With Mrs. Zurina Che Dir we talk about bioeconomy in Malaysia, where “the Government has identified bioeconomy as one of the key strategic drivers to elevate the nation’s socio-economic development”.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
Novartis punta sulla bioeconomia e investe in Malesia. Il colosso farmaceutico svizzero – secondo voci che arrivano da Kuala Lumpur, dove si è appena conclusa BioMalaysia, la più grande manifestazione biotech delle regione – ha siglato un accordo con il Sarawak Biodiversity Centre per sviluppare nuovi farmaci da prodotti naturali microbici.
E’ quanto si legge in una nota della Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation, l’Agenzia di sviluppo delle biotecnologie che fa capo al Ministero della Scienza, della Tecnologia e dell’Innovazione. Novartis – stando alla nota ministeriale – starebbe valutando non solo investimenti nel campo della drug discovery ma anche investimenti diretti in aziende biomedicali della Malesia.
La volontà della società di Basilea di investire ulteriormente in Malesia è emersa nel corso dell’ultima edizione di BioMalaysia, che si è tenuta a Kuala Lumpur dal 5 al 7 novembre, avendo come focus principale la creazione di ricchezza attraverso la bioeconomia nel paese asiatico, che si candida non solo a sede di investimenti di grandi imprese multinazionali europee e americane, ma anche come grande fornitore di biomassa per gli sviluppi enegetici futuri.
A testimonianza del grande impegno del governo della Malesia per lo sviluppo della bioeconomia, alla tre giorni di BioMalaysia ha partecpato anche il primo ministro, Tan Sri Muhyddin Yassin.
Franco Forte
IL BIOECONOMISTA 