Malaysia is strategically positioned to make the country a much-sought-after hub of Bioeconomy. In 2020, it completed the final phase of the National Biotechnology Policy (NBP), and is betting on its bioeconomy sector to drive a robust economic recovery through programmes and initiatives of Bioeconomy Corporation. As a regional leader in this sector, being the second country in Asia and the first country in South East Asia to announce a national bioeconomy initiative, Malaysia has already set the ball rolling. Moreover, in line with the National Recovery Plan, it has also framed a Bioeconomy blueprint to address pandemic challenges and to boost various sectors that are crucial to the economy. The country is poised to globalise bioentrepreneurship by bestowing fiscal incentives and grants through special BioNexus Status, effectively making it a major global player to reckon with, in the bioeconomy space.
The Issue
Biosecurity protecting humans, animals, and plants from biological threats is an essential government mission, the importance of which has been dramatically highlighted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The government’s pandemic response has been enabled by the emerging bioeconomy, which provides core biosecurity capabilities that are essential to the success of the mission. The government’s engagement with the bioeconomy has grown in recent years, encompassing a range of agencies with a focus on laboratory and product safety and an emphasis on supporting research and development (R&D). However, the government lacks mechanisms for providing a broader strategic focus that integrates priorities, including biosecurity, in partnering with the bioeconomy. As a result, the government’s engagement with the bioeconomy remains insufficient to support the translation and integration of R&D into the delivery of biosecurity capabilities. The government is often not able to fully capital