Dear Stakeholders
It is my pleasure to present you the MIMOS Retrospective 2018.
In 2018, technologies described as pillars of Industry 4.0 such as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT) and Blockchain as well as several other emerging digital trends have become essential buzzwords that drove undertakings at MIMOS. Although we have practically worked around those very concepts for the past few years, our work in 2018 represented a fine-tuned technology focus towards the realisation of this looming new industrial revolution.
Incidentally, 2018 was also a year of transformation for Malaysia when the country saw a change in the government after the 14th General Election. While MIMOS was internally unaffected by the change of the national guard, and the underlying principles behind our mission remain unchanged, there were slight structural adjustments when MIMOS was repositioned under a new umbrella, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI).
Under MITI, MIMOS’ position reflects Malaysia’s strategic intent in deepening its R&D and innovation capabilities. With this setup, MIMOS sits in stronger alignment with industry and within the circle of the nation’s trade and investment machinery, where we are better able to focus on the future and create more value for the evolving demands of Government, industry and citizen.
Galvanising industries
Despite some challenges in meeting targets due to the political changes that took place, MIMOS delivered good overall 2018 results, which were in line with key stakeholder expectations. Our R&D output in 2018 largely comprised smart solutions for governance, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, smart cities, smart transportation, smart infrastructure and smart buildings. All in all, 61 patents were granted as a result of our filing of 73 patents with MyIPO and 14 with the Patent Cooperation Treaty.
A total of 62 IPs were commercialised and 20 technologies were transferred and adopted. In terms of technology development, commercialisation of our technology solutions exceeded 2018 target with 20 solutions commercialised. Some of these solutions were further developments of those that have already obtained patents, but most were new inventions and technology upgrades. Many of the technologies have been developed with input and feedback from existing and new Technology Recipients, reflecting the growth of our innovation ecosystem. I would especially mention our IoT-based System for Indoor Location Tracking, which penetrated Thailand, to be deployed at the busy Chatuchak Market in Bangkok.
Continuing our previous year’s contribution to the E&E sector, MIMOS’ Advanced Shared Service facilities provided E&E services to more than 1,300 users throughout 2018; and more than 800 engineers and students were trained utilising MIMOS’ advanced competency framework.
Fostering partnerships
In 2018, MIMOS established partnerships with industry, academia and various government agencies, covering strategic technology areas. Among notable partnerships with industry include with Microsoft in artificial intelligence, NSW Automation Sdn Bhd in nanomaterials, CMC Engineering Sdn Bhd in smart transportation and PSDC in talent development for Industry 4.0 technologies.
Academia partners included Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in photonics in dental application, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu in nanotechnology, INTI International University & Colleges in data science, cyber security and other Industry 4.0-related areas; and INCEIF in Islamic finance.
In addition, we delivered high-impact Government projects in several key sectors; such as logistics information system for Royal Malaysian Navy, flood forecasting and warning system for Department of Irrigation and Drainage, MOHA-Embassy Communication Application for Ministry of Home Affairs and digital assessment for Malaysian Examinations Council.
We appreciate our partners for their trust, and look forward to continuing collaborations for mutual benefits.
Building capacity and capability
Previously, under MESTECC, MIMOS had served as National Strategic Centre of Excellence for 4IR – a function we still serve after the move to MITI, albeit with minor recalibration. The mandate covers roles in policy advisory, technology advisory and consulting; collaboration and shared services; capacity and capability building, as well as awareness and promotion. There is also a focus on talent development through the strengthening of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) for 4IR technologies, specifically Industry 4.0 elements.
In 2018, we continued to engage with stakeholders through events such as forums, seminars, dialogues and exhibitions, participation and media coverage of which have created much public awareness on the opportunities and challenges of 4IR.
Accolades
Last year we were again the proud recipient of a number of prestigious recognitions. We received the Global ICT Excellence Awards - Sustainable Growth, for the Malaysia Climate Change Knowledge Portal (N-HyDAA) at the World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) 2018, which was held in India; and the Silver Medal at the National Intellectual Property Award (Industrial Design Category) for the MIMOS Off-Grid Communication Device.
Also on the home front, the deployment of Malaysian Health Data Warehouse (MyHDW), a collaborative effort by the Health Ministry and MIMOS, was recognised for excellence by OpenGov during the OpenGov Leadership Forum 2018 (GLF2018) in Putrajaya.
We are also honoured to have some of the country’s best research scientists with us here in MIMOS. Our researchers, Ir Dr Hafizal Mohamad and Ir Dr Nordin Ramli bagged the Top Research Scientists Malaysia (TRSM) Award 2018 awarded by the Academy of Sciences Malaysia. We could not have achieved these accolades without the teamwork and dedication of all MIMOSians.
Appreciation
Being an integral new member of the MITI family, we pledge to make valuable contributions towards achieving the Ministry’s national goals in transforming industry and future-proofing SMEs in line with Industry4WRD, the National Policy on Industry 4.0.
I would like to thank the Finance Ministry, MITI and MESTECC for their ongoing confidence and endless support. For the remaining 11MP, we remain sharply focused on maximising the value we create for society and our stakeholders. Finally, I must give thanks to MIMOSians for their undivided commitment and hard work in 2018 despite challenging circumstances.
Emelia Matrahah
Interim President and Chief Executive Officer