Malaysia needs to start thinking about mandating companies, both local and foreign, to contribute a portion of their revenue to support research and development in Malaysian universities, said Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Liew Chin Tong.
“And they contribute a lot of revenue . whether it comes from Malaysian companies or whoever makes money out of Malaysia we have to start thinking about mandating some contributions by companies that make money in this country,” he said at the Unctad-KRI national consultation meeting on Green Industrialisation today.
“Most of the time, university VCs are preoccupied by the idea that they have to train students. The national debate now is there’s a talent problem. If you pay two-thirds of Singapore pay, everyone will come back. But we are still preoccupied by this thinking that we have to train as many engineering students as possible,” he said.