MINISTRY PLANS TO SET UP NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY INSTITUTE

KOTA KINABALU (Malaysia), Oct 20 (Bernama) -- The Science, Technology and
Innovation Ministry plans to set up a National Oceanography Institute to house
marine-related data and information, its minister Dr Maximus Ongkili said.

He said the centre would eventually become the central point for the
operation of the planned National Oceanography Data Centre.

"The data centre shall serve as a strategic coordinating platform and also
as a catalyst to form strategic alliances with various marine centres of
excellence at national and regional level and worldwide," he said at the opening
of the Coral Triangle Initiative's 4th Senior Officials Meeting here, Monday
night.

Ongkili said the centre was important as Malaysia was within a region rich
in biodiversity and marine resources.

He also said that Malaysia needed to implement the Coral Triangle Initiative
programmes based on national priorities and in line with national policies to
implement good governance and management of the resources.

"We need to stop the unsustainable fishing practices, destruction of the
corals and the desecration of endangered species.

"We need to reduce haphazard coastal and marine planning practices and
instead employ adaptive measures to reduce impacts of multi-hazards caused by
climate change and the rise of sea level," he said.

Ongkili also hoped the findings from the Prime Scientific Sailing Expedition
in the Malaysian territorial waters off the Sulu and Sulawesi seas from June 18
to Aug 2 this year would be stored and shared for further analysis and
decision-making via research publications and multimedia.

"The recent expedition went through a good portion of this marine area and
marine park areas and has found many untapped resources, new marine species that
could create many spin-offs.

"Through the regional transfer of technology, knowledge and innovations, we
aim at strengthening our human resource capacity in the field of marine-related
industries that could contribute to the innovation-driven economy," he said.
-- BERNAMA