BIOMASS: M'SIA NEEDS TO IDENTIFY PRIORITY SECTORS, SAYS BIOTECHCORP

From Leslean Arshad

CHICAGO, May 4 (Bernama) -- Malaysia needs to have a comprehensive policy on
biomass utilisation and identify priority sectors capable of giving handsome
returns.

This was due to competing needs for biomass especially oil palm's empty
fruit bunches (EFBs), said Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation (BiotechCorp)
Chief Executive Officer Iskandar Mizal Mahmood.

"Some say they need EFBs for energy and others need it for the production of
high quality sugar," he told reporters at the world's largest BIO International
Convention here Monday.

He said the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry should devise a
comprehensive business-friendly policy and give priority to areas in which
Malaysia wanted to excel.

"A clear policy has to be in place; for example to allocate a certain
percentage of EFBs for electricity generation and a certain percentage for high
quality sugar," he said.

Iskandar is here to lead BiotechCorp's delegation to the annual four-day
convention that ends on May 6.

This is the sixth time BiotechCorp, which in charge of facilitating the
country's biotechnology industry, is participating in the BIO International
Convention after the event in Philadelphia (2005), Chicago (2006), Boston
(2007), San Diego (2008) and Atlanta (2009).

He said the biomass policy should be put in place before the completion of
biotechnology ecosystem Bio-Xcell project in Iskandar Malaysia, Johor, to ensure
the availability of ample biomass to support biotechnology-based related
programmes.

The project is being developed on a 60:40 joint-venture basis between
BiotechCorp and UEM Land Bhd.

It comprises the development of a supportive biotechnology ecosystem around
targeted strategic anchor tenants to undertake operations geared towards
expediting the industry's growth.

-- BERNAMA



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