ALOR GAJAH, July 23 (Bernama) -- The Works Ministry (KKR) is seeking an increase in allocation from the Ministry of Finance (MOF) for the development of innovation products including patenting products created by the Innovative and Creative Group (KIK) and Public Works Department (JKR).
Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said increased allocation was needed as the patenting cost of an innovation product is high and does not include production costs.
He said in the period of three years beginning 2022, more than 100 JKR innovation products were produced through the KIK Convention and only four products were successfully patented.
"For example, before this the JKR produced the ‘cold mix bitumen’ innovation product to patch potholes on roads, however, as we lacked the allocation to patent the product, it was copied and put on the market but the JKR could not apply for royalties from the invention.
"Therefore, I think the allocation for innovation products under ministries, including the KKR, needs to be reviewed by the MOH especially the cost of patenting these products as currently the allocation depends on the application according to the number of products successfully produced," he said.
Ahmad said this to reporters after officiating the JKR-KIK Convention 2024, which was also attended by JKR director-general Datuk Roslan Ismail, at the JKR Engineering and Technology Centre of Excellence (CREaTE) here today.
Earlier, he said 54 innovation products were created by 54 groups, involving 479 participants from the JKR throughout the country, and the majority of these products competed to produce technical solutions for problems faced by the construction industry, community and environment.
He also said these innovation products also have the potential to be commercialised or adapted at the level of the JKR, government or private agencies.
"We want to make JKR an innovative technical agency which will produce many innovative products in the future and master the latest technology for the sake of national development," he added.
-- BERNAMA
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