MALAYSIANS have always aimed to be high-achievers. The                                                                                                
Government in fact encourages this. Every attempt at breaking                                                                                         
records has received official encouragement from beginning to                                                                                         
end.                                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
A list of such achievements include sailing solo around the                                                                                           
world, scaling Mount Everest and landing a Proton Saga in the                                                                                         
North Pole.                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
The Malaysia Book of Records can boast of other notable                                                                                               
successes. To cap it all, the Guinness Book of Records 1998                                                                                           
recorded an entry on the Petronas Towers as the world's                                                                                               
tallest office building.                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
Equally significant would be the breakthroughs the country had                                                                                        
made in the country's automotive field and the staging of the                                                                                         
Formula One race in Sepang near the Kuala Lumpur International                                                                                        
Airport.                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
The airport itself, in terms of its architectural beauty and                                                                                          
expanse, can only be matched by the other mediaeval-like                                                                                              
splendour of Putrajaya, the new administrative capital of                                                                                             
Malaysia. What else can we be proud of?                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
We can name the many Malaysians that have left the country to                                                                                         
seek greener pastures abroad and have excelled in their                                                                                               
various fields.                                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                                      
They have contributed to the advancement of science and                                                                                               
technology in the countries of their adoption.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
As a result of certain policy changes in these countries, many                                                                                        
have decided to return and to serve the nation. A few have                                                                                            
been enticed home.                                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
These are people that are thought to be highly skilled, an                                                                                            
asset to the industry. They are sought after for their                                                                                                
excellence in the new sciences and the information                                                                                                    
communications technology (ICT).                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
It is now official policy to seek them out, not necessarily                                                                                           
Malaysians, to come and work in the country. They will be                                                                                             
employed by the different technology-related enterprises                                                                                              
especially in the Multimedia Super Corridor, in Cyberjaya.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                      
The move came from the analysis that we do not possess the                                                                                            
human capacity to proceed with our development in the ICT. It                                                                                         
was felt that unless we could fill the gap, our move towards                                                                                          
knowledge economy would be hampered.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
Efforts are underway to hire the best brains, regardless of                                                                                           
race and nationality, from Bangalore to California.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                                      
The Government is keen on addressing this dearth of skilled                                                                                           
professionals. It has announced a new set of measures in the                                                                                          
recent budget speech by the Finance Minister in late October.                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
In attracting Malaysians working abroad, the Government has                                                                                           
approved income remitted to Malaysia within the period of two                                                                                         
years to be exempted from income tax, all personal effects                                                                                            
brought in, including two motorcars (with tax exemptions), and                                                                                        
husband or wife and children, who are not Malaysian citizens,                                                                                         
be given permanent resident status within six months.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
The reactions received were mixed. Many believe the incentives                                                                                        
do not go far enough. They feel that intellectual capital                                                                                             
would have to be valued in more distinct ways.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
While many are of the opinion that you could never get people                                                                                         
to move on the basis of love for the country alone, others                                                                                            
feel that the Government would need to do more to bring them                                                                                          
home, such as paying world-class rates for world- class minds!                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
If we were to look at the local scene however, we find that                                                                                           
there are already a number of high-achievers in our                                                                                                   
educational institutions as well as in the workplace. They may                                                                                        
have to be ferreted out.                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
Independent bodies like the Minds, Design and Research Centres                                                                                        
and institutes such as Mima and Sirim have all played their                                                                                           
part.                                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
There are also companies that have organised competitions for                                                                                         
Young Inventors. For Science and Mathematics, the Education                                                                                           
Ministry is con ducting regional competitions on the two                                                                                              
subjects.                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
In all these efforts, it was established that the performance                                                                                         
of Malaysians have been very creditable indeed. -We could even                                                                                        
match the Singaporeans at times!                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                      
We should recall also the work done by our aerospace                                                                                                  
scientists and engineers in the development of TIUNGSAT 1,                                                                                            
Malaysia's first satellite. Their dedication and commitment to                                                                                        
the project surpassed the expectations of many and have                                                                                               
brought honour to the country.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                                      
The record of such research activities in our businesses                                                                                              
however, have not been that encouraging.                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
Perhaps they are waiting for the cue from the Government.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
In fact the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment                                                                                           
had set the pace by administering the Intensified Research                                                                                            
Project Area grants.                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
Researchers have been asked to ensure that their projects have                                                                                        
commercial value and can be utilised by consumers.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                                      
In the Seventh Malaysia Plan (1996-2000), the Ministry                                                                                                
approved grants amounting to RM708.2 million.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
More needs to be done to create a climate for world class                                                                                             
research. In this regard, projects like Venture 2001, a                                                                                               
business plan competition for aspiring Malaysian entrepreneurs                                                                                        
to start or cultivate their businesses, is a good sign.                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                      
Others should follow suit. What is needed is a culture of                                                                                             
excellence in all our research institutions and centres. The                                                                                          
ultimate aim is to spawn Malaysia's first Nobel Laureate.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
How can this be achieved?                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
Firstly, in the area of determining research subjects, less                                                                                           
focus should be given to relating the subjects to the                                                                                                 
socio-economic needs of the country.                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                                      
Instead, new research must emphasise on the new sciences such                                                                                         
as the life sciences.                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                      
These are: optical technology (coatings for thin film filters,                                                                                        
optical parts, materials processing technologies and material                                                                                         
properties), specialty chemicals technology (specialty                                                                                                
additives, phytochemicals, smart materials), design and                                                                                               
software technology (software development for CAD/CAE/CAM,                                                                                            
electronic- manufacturing and business integration portals)                                                                                           
and nanotechnology and precision engineering (nano particles,                                                                                         
micromachining and fabrication, diamond surface coating, drug                                                                                         
delivery, computational nanotechnology).                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                      
The biggest problem facing decision-makers now is where to                                                                                            
cite and locate these research capabilities. The universities                                                                                         
may have the location but seldom the body to undertake                                                                                                
high-calibre research needed to become Nobel Laureate                                                                                                 
material.                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                                      
Some government institutions have floundered by indecisions                                                                                           
and overlapping functions. A case in point is the actual role                                                                                         
of Mimos, Technology Park and the other research centres in                                                                                           
the many universities.                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                                      
Another is the apparent sway the Multimedia Development Corp                                                                                          
has over its own development momentum. In some instances, it                                                                                          
seemed to be going at cross-purposes with companies that it                                                                                           
has set up.                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                      
Many questions remain unanswered.                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                                      
Looking into the future and at the interest of making sure                                                                                            
that Malaysians are assured of the right to prosper from their                                                                                        
very own efforts, all sides will have to come together to form                                                                                        
a high-level consultative body to oversee and evaluate                                                                                                
superior research and world-class inventions.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                                      
Additionally, recognition must be given to those who have                                                                                             
pioneered in no small way to push the level of Malaysian                                                                                              
intellectual prowess to global significance.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                                      
This will be the tested route to ensure that a Malaysian can                                                                                          
be nominated for a Nobel Prize.