Yayasan Inovasi Malaysia Launches Miri RDC

MIRI, June 23 (Bernama) -- The Ruang Daya Cipta (RDC), an initiative to empower science, technology and innovation (STI) within the community by Yayasan Inovasi Malaysia (YIM), an agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), was launched here today.

The inauguration ceremony was officiated by the Deputy Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Datuk Mohammad Yusof Apdal, at an event attended by stakeholders, strategic partners, academics and the local community.

According to YIM's statement today, the Miri RDC was developed as a result of strategic cooperation between the federal government and the Sarawak government, with YIM as the main implementing agency responsible for providing facilities, training and STI-related programmes.

"The RDC serves as a community platform that provides access to facilities, equipment and training related to the STI field. Through the RDC, the local community has the opportunity to develop their creative potential and create relevant and sustainable innovative solutions," the statement said.

So far, a total of 23 RDCs have been established nationwide, including four each in Sabah and Johor; two each in Sarawak, Pahang, Kelantan, Selangor and Perak; and one each in Negeri Sembilan, Terengganu, Kedah, Kuala Lumpur and Melaka.

The Miri RDC, which was completed in October 2023, is located at the Pustaka Negeri Sarawak, Miri, and is equipped with facilities such as computers, 3D printers, and a digital studio to support the development of technological skills and creativity within the community.

Through a social innovation approach, the RDC provides direct access to technology and training, thereby enabling rural communities like those in Miri to participate in and benefit from opportunities in the digital economy.

"The establishment of this facility is also in line with the implementation of the MOSTI Social Innovation Policy (DIS) which emphasises the creation of an inclusive STI ecosystem that directly benefits the community, especially at the grassroots level," the statement said.

The RDC also supports Core 2 of DIS, which focuses on the cultivation and empowerment of creativity, as well as Core 4, which emphasises the development of integrated social innovation infrastructure at the grassroots level.

"This approach reflects the government's commitment to building a sustainable, inclusive, and competitive social innovation ecosystem, in line with the aspiration to make Malaysia a high-tech nation by 2030," he added.

-- BERNAMA