MINISTER TO LEAD ICT/BIOTECHNOLOGY TRADE MISSION TO INDO-CHINA

KUALA LUMPUR, July 16 (Bernama) -- Minister of Science, Technology and
Innovation, Dr. Maximus Ongkili, will lead a 50-member Specialised
Trade Mission for the ICT and biotechnology sectors to Vietnam, Laos and
Cambodia from July 18 to July 23.

The ministry in a statement Saturday said the mission is aimed at promoting
partnerships and collaborations between Malaysian companies and their
Indo-Chinese counterparts, encouraged by a series of macroeconomic reforms and
improvement of investment climate in these fast developing countries of
Indo-China.

"The trade mission also aims at capitalising on Malaysia’s strengths in
specific IT technologies and services such as software and e-solutions,
creative multimedia, systems integration including in the areas of operational
risk management, banking and financial software solutions, healthcare quality
support, logistics, advanced product quality planning and digital security," it
said.

Among the delegates would be representatives from the ministry’s agencies
namely the Multimedia Development Corporation of Malaysia (MDeC), MIMOS Bhd and
Association of Computer and Multimedia Industry Malaysia (PIKOM) as well as 16
key Malaysian ICT companies including Smartag Solutions Bhd.

Meanwhile, the biotechnology sector will be represented by Malaysian
Biotechnology Corporation and Technology Park Malaysia, officials from the state
governments of Pahang and Sabah responsible for ICT and Science and Technology
and two biotech companies namely BioFact Life and GreenWorld Genetics, the
ministry said.

At the same time, it said a business delegation team of leading
Malaysian-based experts and specialists will provide insights for businesses in
these countries for them to learn more about commercial opportunities in
Malaysia.

"They are expected to explore opportunities for possible investment as well
as foster collaborative initiatives with their business counterparts in ICT
related areas," it said.

In Vietnam, Ongkili will call on his counterpart Hoang Van Phong in Hanoi to
discuss on strengthening bilateral science and technology collaboration and
cooperation and also meet up with the Vietnamese Minister of Information and
Communications, Le Doan Hop at a business session.

In Laos, the minister will officiate a business meeting in Vientiane with
the Laotian Minister of Science and Technology, Boviengkham Vongdara while in
Cambodia, a similar business session will be held in Phnom Penh, where the
minister will jointly host the event with the Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia,
Sok An.