State aims to bring Perak inventions to wider markets

Teh (right) presenting the top prize in the Secondary School category to Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Batu 4 teacher Nor Aziehan Ahmad Adnan (in blue) during the Perak State Innovation Awards in Ipoh. — Bernama

The Perak government is ensuring every invention can be developed, commercialised and fully utilised for public welfare and economic growth, said Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.

Saarani said the state supported innovation through collaboration with the Intellectual Pro­perty Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO), government-linked companies and local industries with the aim of bringing Perak inventions to wider markets, reported Bernama.

“This approach is crucial for creating new job opportunities, enhancing industrial capacity and boosting the state’s competitiveness nationally and internationally.

“We do not want innovations to end at competition tables. They must be implemented and monitored to add value to public service and community life.”

His speech, at the Perak Innovation Awards in Ipoh, was read by state science, environment and green technology committee chairman Teh Kok Lim.

Saarani said successful innovations also fostered a more efficient and integrity-driven public service culture.

Malaysia is currently ranked 34th out of 139 economies in the 2025 Global Innovation Index, the second highest in Asean after Singapore.

“It reminds us that efforts to strengthen the research, development and commercialisation ecosystem must continue with greater commitment,” Saarani said.

Highlighting Perak’s innovation achievements, he cited Bagan Datuk-Kampung Sejagop Bridge Project by the state Pub­lic Works Department (JKR), which won second place at the Road Engineering Association of Asia and Australasia (REAAA) awards in South Korea in the “Roads for Communities” category.

The annual Perak State Inno­vation Awards features eight categories.

This year’s winners included the Royal Malaysian Navy Air Base (Open Innovation), Mual­lim District and Land Office (District and Land Office), Kam­par District Council (Local Authority), Taiping Vocational College (Higher Education Institution), Pasir Salak Com­munity College (Green Sus­tain­able Innovation), Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Batu 4 (Secondary School), Sekolah Kebangsaan Toh Ratna Sakti (Primary School), and Abdul Azim Roslan (Darul Ridzuan).

First prize winners received RM10,000, runners-up RM8,000 and third-place winners RM5,000, along with trophies and certificates of appreciation.