Made-in Malaysia Innovations: A RM1 Billion Revenue Potential

This entry is an extract from the Star Online dated Friday April 20, 2012:

"Malaysian businesses can start bidding from today for locally developed innovations that have the potential to yield up to RM1bil in revenue. Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak unveiled the 42 commercially ready products that have been developed under the Innovation Business Opportunities programme. They range from a disease-resistant chili to larvacide to control mosquito-borne diseases, from a biosensor to diagnose specific infections to lumber made from oil palm, from a rice cooker that automatically drains excess starch to a body armour made of coconut fibre, kevlar and glass; and from a high quality cross-bred rice suitable for diabetics to a pendant system that mounts all or most medical equipment used to treat patients.
. The products were developed by a collection of local companies, universities and research institutes and selected by Agensi Innovasi Malaysia based on the potential for commercialisation. The Prime Minister said the products could collectively bring in an estimated RM1bil by the third year of marketing. “This is just the starting point,” he said when launching the programme in his office here yesterday.
“The programme offers local companies the chance to harness the power of innovation to gain an edge in their business while helping to monetise the many projects developed locally. This is in line with the Government's efforts to reinforce innovation." While the programme was aimed to promote the culture of competitive bidding in the private sector, Najib said the Government could consider providing support in terms of loans and certain incentives

Collaboration with the Malaysian Tax Academy of IRB

Delegation of officers from the Malaysian Tax Academy (APM)of the Malaysian Inland Revenue Board visited the Accounting Research Institute (ARI) at the later's office in Universiti Teknologi MARA in Shah Alam. APM's delegation was led by its Director Tuan Haji Adzhar Sulaiman. APM is a training institute of the Malaysian Inland Revenue Board. In addition to the training of IRB's own staff, APM also conduct trainings for outside and international agencies. Among the international agencies that have benefited from APM trainings include officers from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Commonwealth Association of Tax Administrators (CATA), Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation (IBFD), Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Internal Revenue Srvice (IRS) and the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI). The meeting discussed potential collaborations between the two entities in at least five important areas: (i) Collaborative research in taxation-related policy and practice, (ii) Training, (iii) Joint publication of tax-related articles in journals and books, (iv) Co-organizing of the International Conference in Financial Criminology (ICFC) in 2013 and (v)Joint-editorial of an international journal in taxation that APM hopes to produce very soon. ARI-APM collaboration in these five possible areas is indeed very timely. Way back in 2003, UiTM researchers and lecturers were involved in conducting two cohorts of special training in Forensic Accounting for IRB Tax Investigators. Several IRB staff have also successfully completed their Master in Forensic Accounting & Financial Criminology at the Faculty of Accountancy, UiTM.

Research on Financial Integrity

Today, a group of researchers from the Accounting Research Institute (ARI) visited the Perbadanan Insurans Deposit Malaysia (PIDM) office in Kuala Lumpur. A meeting has been arranged with PIDM's Non-Executive Chairman, Tan Sri Abdul Samad Alias to discuss possible case study project on PIDM. Tan Sri Abdul Samad has served as a Board Member of PIDM since 15 August 2005, and chaired PIDM’s Audit Committee. A Fellow Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, he has extensive experience in auditing and accounting including as the non-Executive Chairman of Ernst & Young. PIDM is a statutory body that actively promotes and contributes to public confidence in the stability of the Malaysian financial system. It also protects depositors against the loss of their deposits as well as takaful and insurans benefits in the unlikely event of a member institution failure. At the recent NACRA 2011 award, PIDM won the "Best Annual Report for Non-Listed Companies". What is interesting about PIDM's annual report is the introduction of new initiatives by the company to ensure financial credibility of its accounting numbers. A comprehensive deliberation is included in the annual report to discuss policy and implementation practices of its (i) Risk Management, (ii) Corporate Governance and (iii) Internal Control system. Though PIDM is a government company formed under the purview of the Ministry of Finance, PIDM takes it upon itself to govern and drive the company as a "business entity".
As such, PIDM's statement of corporate governance has been observed as one of the most comprehensive in this country. ARI researchers hope to write a case study on PIDM's Financial Integrity very soon. Financial Integrity encompasses the whole spectrum of financial reporting supply chain processes and procedures. More meetings will be organized with PIDM's management team in the future. ARI wishes to thank Tan Sri Abdul Samad Haji Alias, PIDM Chairman; Ms Norrida Baharuddin, Chief Internal Auditor and General Manager and Ms Lim Yam Poh, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for spending your valuable time with our researchers.

Publication Workshop in UiTM Kedah

An academic publication workshop which was aimed at providing exposure to new lecturers was co-organized by the university's Institute of Leadership and Quality Management (IlQAM) and Universiti Teknologi MARA Kedah state campus. The program which was held today at UiTM campus in Merbok was attended by some seventy aspiring lecturers. Professor Dr Normah, the Accounting Research Institute (ARI) director was invited by IlQAM to facilitate the workshop. Though the main thrust of the workshop was mainly geared towards publication in journals that are indexed with ISI Thomson, SCOPUS and Excellence Research Australia (ERA), other forms of publications were also emphasized. These other forms of publications include books, book chapters, research note, concept papers, proceeding papers, policy papers and publications in professional journals. Since the main aim of this workshop was to create awareness to participants on different types of academic publications, no actual papers was submitted at the end of the workshop. Participants were mainly asked to identify at least ten indexed journals, ten professional journals and ten leading authors in their own areas of expertise. Then, they were needed to know and understand the specific requirements of the chosen journals. Future follow up workshops will require participants to bring their draft journal articles and an online submission of the artyicles will be made at the end of the workshop session.

ARI-TESS Collaborative Research

In its effort to drive research in the area of Islamic Financial Criminology, the Accounting Research Institute (ARI)
always seeks for potential strategic research partners to carry out its research. Beside dealing with fundamental issues that necessitate research, ARI researchers are also keen to develop innovative research products that could be used by practitioners. Recently, one research group under the financial criminology cluster, invited an international company, TESS to participate in a focus group discussion to develop anti-money laundering tools using artificial intelligence technology. Also presence in the discussion are experts in the areas of artificial intelligene (AI)from International Islamic University (IIUM), software development and Anti money laundering specialists. The research project titled "Developing money laundering and and financial fraud indicators using artifial technology" is headed by Associate Professor Dr Zuraidah Mohd Sanusi from ARI. ARI thanks officers/researchers from TESS - Mr Satish (Vice President), Mr Peter Ong (Executive Director)and Mr Yap (Director, Financial Services). We also thank Mr Aaron Lau, ACAMS Trainer; Dr Abiodun Musa Aibinu and his team from the Department of Mechatronic Engineering, IIUM and ARI research team members for taking part in the discussion sessions.

Understanding the Glossary of MyRA Instrument - Part 3

More explanations on MyRA terminologies as follows:
1. International Institution participation in research-related activities include the following: Total number of MOUs signed; total programme implemented under each MOU; total number of staff involved in joint research project; Total number of international students participating in undergraduate/postgraduate/exchange programme; total number of students sent abroad for training and total number of staff sent abroad for training
2. Membership in international bodies/association focuses on (i)number of membership in international bodies and (ii) number of staff appointed as leader/committee for international bodies
3. International projects examine (i) total number of staff involved as project leader and (ii) total amount of international grants
4. International fellowship/scholarship refers to total number of staff awarded international fellowship/scholarship
5. Similarly items 1-4 are also applicable at the national level
6. Support facilities are accredited laboratories (e.g OECD, FDA, Department of standard) and library facilities

Understanding the Glossary of MyRA Instrument - Part 2

This entry focuses on MyRA terms that are often misinterpreted when completing the MyRA form:
1. Mixed Mode programmes - are postgraduate programmes with 70% research and 30% coursework components
2. Principal investigator - lead researcher whose project either : (i) commences in the current year, (ii) commenced in previous year and remains active in the current year or (iii)project completed in the current year. A principal investigator is recognized once/year despite the fact that he/she is involved in more than one projects.
3. PhD/professional qualifications - A staff with both PhD & professional qualifications is recognized once under one category only
4. Innovation Awards are only for gold medals won at international events such as SIIF, BIS, INPEX, IENA and few others
5. Impact Factor Journals include those journals that are indexed with SCOPUS/ISI/SCI/SSCI/ERA
6. Please take note the following journals are not considered in MyRA score computation: Academic Journal, Eurojournal, CG Publishing and African World Press7. Section C now includes "Total number of chapters in book"
8. Research Grants from government - benchmark amount is RM30,000 for S&T and RM12,000 for Social Sciences
9. Research Grants from private funding - benchmark amount RM10,000 for S&T and RM6,000 for Social Sciences
10. Research funding from international sources - benchmark amount RM10,000 S&T and RM12,000 for Social Sciences
11. Innovation focuses on patents granted, patents pending, commercialized product (to external parties only), technology know-how and IPR/copyright (inclusive of original writings not yet listed in section C
12 Professional services and gifts consider income generated from training courses, consultancy, research endowment and gifts such as equipment and research materials

Academic & Intellectual Leadership

As part of the university's succession planning program, the Institute of Leadership & Quality Management (iLQAM)invited a prominent guest speaker, an academic leader: Professor Dato' Dr. Ibrahim Ahmad Bajunid to give a talk on academic leadership. Prof Ibrahim is currently the Deputy President / Deputy Vice Chancellor INTI-UC Laureate International Universities and Professor of Management, Education and the Social Sciences. In his talk titled "Academic Leadership: What does it mean", Profesor Ibrahim Ahmad Bajunid stressed on the need for university academics to "reclaim intellectual leadership". A university is after all "an idea, a state of mind, a supreme intellectual existence, a capacity to understand, a consuming passion for some calling and some mission for humanity". University academics should therefore be at the forefront with a clear mission of abolishing ignorance. Academic leaders according to Prof Ibrahim have the passion for knowledge; are brave to ask tough questions and are willing to propose probable solutions....

Understanding the Glossary of MyRA Instrument 1

One of the most important tools introduced by the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia to assess research-related process and output is the MyRA instrument. In fact MyRA has been used to evaluate research universities in Malaysia. Public universities in particular are also required to report their MyRA score annually to the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE).
This entry hopes to examine the glossary attached to the MyRA instrument. The MyRA instrument is divided into nine different sections (Sections A to I). Section A provides the "General Information" on 3 very important data:(i) Number of academic staff inclusive of both permanent and contract staff, (ii) Total number of undergraduate and postgraduate fulltime students and (iii) Number of responsibility research centres. Section B, "Quantity and Quality of Researchers" focuses on four very important data sets: (i)Total number of academic staff involved as principal investigator. (ii)Total number of academic staff with PhD/professional qualification; (iii) Total number of research experienced staff and (iv) Stewardship recognition confererred by both national and international learned & professional bodies. Section C, "Quantity and Quality of Research" lists four important research products: (i)Publications classified into 6 groups (indexed, cummulative impact factor, cummulative citation, non-indexed journal publication, book chapters and research books; (ii) Research grants at university national and international levels; (iii) Research expenditure for each project and (iv) Post-doctoral appointment. Section D "Quantity and Quality of Post Graduates" looks for four different data: (i) Number of PhD Graduated, (ii) Number of PhD enrolled, (iii) Postgraduate enrolment and (iv) Percentage of international post graduate students. Section E "Quality of Post Graduates examines two crucial data: (i) Entry qualification at the Bachelor level and (ii) fellowship grants awarded to the post graduate students. Section F "Innovation" provides four pieces of information: (i) Patents filed/granted, (ii) Commercialized products, (iii) Technology knowhow licensing and (iv) IPR/Copyrights (including origional writings). Section G "Professional Services & Gifts" examines four sources of income generations and they include:(i)training including post graduate fees, (ii) Consultancy excluding contract research, (iii) Research endowment and (iv) Gifts (money or equipemet) in excess of RM5000. Section H "Networking and Linkages" details out nine groups of participations: (i) International institution participation in research-related activities, (ii) Membership in international bodies & associations, (iii) International projects, (iv) International fellowship and scholarships, (v) Members of international professional bodies, (vi) National inter-institution participation, (vii) Member of professional bodies and the national level, (viii) National projects and (ix)National fellowship/scholarship awards. Section I "Support facilities" requires information related to accredited laboratories and library facilities.

UiTM-CIMA Teachers Conference 2012

Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) co-organized the Teachers Conference 2012.
The one-day conference held at the Dewan Seri Budiman, UiTM was attended by more than 200 teachers representing schools from different parts of the country. Themed "Education in a Borderless World", the conference was graced opened Y. Bhg Dato' Haji Mohd Ghazali bin Abdul Rahman, Director of the Teachers Education Department, Ministry of Education Malaysia. Also presence at the official opening event were UiTM Vice Chancellor Dato' Prof Ir Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar and Head of CIMA Malaysia, Mr Venkakat Ramanan. A special project called "Malaysia Junior Apprentice Project" was also launched immediately after the opening ceremony.
ARI Director, Prof Dr Normah Omar was also invited to present a paper titled "Management Accounting for Non-Accountants: From Cradle to Grave". Among the other speakers include Dr Edward Chan from the International Psychology centre, Mr Venkkat Ramanan from CIMA and Professor Datin Dr Quek Ai Hwa from Help University