KOTA KINABALU: The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry plans to set up a National Oceanography Institute to house marine-related data and information, its minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili said.
He said the institute would eventually become the focal point for the planned National Oceanography Data Centre’s operation.
“The centre will serve as a strategic coordinating platform and also as a catalyst to form strategic alliances with various marine centres of excellence at national and regional levels, besides worldwide,” he said at the opening of the Coral Triangle Initiative’s 4th Senior Officials Meeting here yesterday.
Dr Ongkili said the centre was important as Malaysia was within a region rich in biodiversity and marine resources.
Malaysia, he said, needed to implement the Coral Triangle Initiative programmes based on national priorities. This, he added, was in line with national policies to implement good governance and management of the resources.
“We need to stop the unsustainable fishing practices, destruction of the corals and the desecration of endangered species,” he said.
“We need to reduce haphazard coastal and marine planning practices and instead employ adaptive measures to reduce impacts of multi-hazards caused by climate change and the rise of sea level.”
Dr Ongkili also hoped that the findings from the Prime Scientific Sailing Expedition in the Malaysian territorial waters off the Sulu and Sulawesi seas (from June 18 to Aug 2) would be shared for further analysis and decision-making via research publications and multimedia.
“The recent expedition went through a good portion of this marine area and marine park areas and has found many untapped resources, new marine species that could create many spinoffs,” he said.
“Through the regional transfer of technology, knowledge and innovations, we aim to strengthen our human resources capacity in the field of marine-related industries that could contribute to the innovation-driven economy.”
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