KUALA LUMPUR – Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) is capable of developing defence products that can be commercialised according to market requirements, said Senior Minister (Security) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
As such, he said UPNM should collaborate with the private sector and relevant ministries to strengthen its research and development (R&D) as well as activities to commercialise its products.
“UPNM only has a budget of around RM2 million to RM6 million – that is not enough to come up with its own products, so it needs to forge collaborations with private firms.
“Therefore, UPNM’s R&D needs to be strengthened, especially in relation to the defence industry, and must be suitable to the needs of Mindef (Defence Ministry) in terms of armaments or defence assets,” he told reporters after his first official working visit to UPNM since being appointed Defence Minister on March 10 last year.
Also present during the visit were Mindef secretary-general Datuk Seri Muez Abd Aziz and Defence Force chief Tan Sri Affendi Buang, whose presences were required to look over the main roles and activities of UPNM with Mindef and the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF).
Ismail said that if UPNM’s R&D is suitable and meets the requirements of Mindef, then Mindef, as well as other ministries or outside companies, could become the main buyers of every product developed by UPNM.
For example, he said, the robots produced by UPNM might attract the attention of relevant government agencies to use the product not just because of its quality, but also its reasonable price.
During the visit, he was also taken to view a modern, sophisticated ship simulator, as well as several R&D products of UPNM researchers that are ready to be commercialised. – Bernama, March 5, 2021
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