: Increased investment in water technology, research, and skills development can position Malaysia as a centre of excellence in this sector, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Also present were Deputy Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir, PETRA secretary-general Datuk Mad Zaidi Mohd Karli, and Academy of Sciences Malaysia president Datuk Dr Tengku Mohd Azzman Shariffadeen. “In efforts to attract more foreign investment, water supply security is a crucial factor. Efficient water management not only supports domestic economic growth but also plays a vital role in keeping Malaysia competitive in the eyes of international investors,“ he said.
As a comparison, he said, the energy and energy-intensive industries currently contributed about 28% to the Gross Domestic Product and 25% of the total workforce, while the contribution from the water sector was far lower and still couldn’t be precisely calculated.