NRES Steps Up Capacity-building, Partnerships To Strengthen Biosafety Enforcement

SHAH ALAM, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) is strengthening its capacity-building initiatives and strategic partnerships to tackle the shortage of skilled professionals in biosafety risk assessment and regulatory enforcement.

Its Deputy Minister, Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii, said that, as of now, the Department of Biosafety only houses a small number of qualified technical officers and scientists who possess the expertise to evaluate the risk of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). 

He said that with the rapid advancements in modern biotechnology, the world is witnessing an increasing presence of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) and GMOs, including products of GMOs, particularly in agriculture and healthcare. 

“The growing awareness of our biosafety legislation has led to a surge in applications from universities and research institutions. While this reflects healthy compliance, it also places tremendous pressure on our limited pool of technical officers and scientists. 

“The challenge is compounded by the need to assess GMO products intended for food, feed and processing, where delays could have serious implications for food security and service delivery to stakeholders,” he said during his speech at the Biosafety Symposium here today. 

Huang said the ministry is reviewing the Biosafety Act 2007 to ensure it remains responsive to emerging technologies, providing regulatory preparedness and addressing novel products, as well as regulatory grey areas.

He said other measures include investing in advanced screening and detection technologies, enhancing laboratory capabilities and strengthening collaboration with organisations that have the capacity and expertise, as well as fostering public awareness on GMO-related issues. 

The government is also focusing on improving inter-agency coordination, particularly in integrated surveillance, intelligence and data sharing, as well as restructuring the Department of Biosafety to bolster regulatory effectiveness through human capital development.

“Globally, gene-editing technologies like CRISPR-Cas9 have given rise to products that blur traditional GMO definitions, creating regulatory grey areas.  For example, gene-edited crops that contain no foreign DNA are impossible to detect using conventional methods.

“This poses a major challenge for developing countries like Malaysia, which often rely on traditional surveillance methods and are already constrained by limited laboratory capacity. Adding to this complexity is the ease with which GMO products, including seeds and food, can now move through informal trade routes and e-commerce platforms, bypassing conventional monitoring channels,” he said. 

Huang also stresses the need for Malaysia and other ASEAN members to not only keep pace but also lead in harnessing innovation responsibly and safely, ensuring the development brought about by biotechnology is realised without compromising public health, the environment or biodiversity.

The event also witnessed the exchange of strategic cooperation documents with the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) as part of efforts to strengthen the enforcement of the Biosafety Act 2007.

The collaboration not only reinforces control over GMOs at the country’s entry points, but also enhances officer training, improves data sharing and ensures more integrated procedures.

-- BERNAMA