KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (Marii) and MKM Global Holdings Sdn Bhd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Institut Koperasi Malaysia, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to distribute ImmuSAFE test kits to six million Cooperative Commission of Malaysia (SKM) members.
The MoU is also a collaboration in the commercialisation of products and services related to high throughput diagnostics for communicable and non-communicable diseases among members of SKM, said Marii in a statement today.
“There is a total of 14,668 cooperatives currently registered in Malaysia, with a turnover of RM45.7 billion in 2019, dropping to an estimated RM35 billion in 2020 due to Covid-19,” it said.
ImmuSAFE is a lab-based, multi-antigen, multiviral, fully qualitative and quantitative serology test for detecting the prevalence of antibodies in relation to nine different domains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The test results offer information on risk factors of infectiousness and presence of protective antibodies against Covid-19 in both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals.
This means that information of prior infections and immunity from Covid-19 can be known to an individual from the ImmuSAFE test results, according to the statement.
Marii said the main beneficiaries of the information are industry players and businesses, as they can better manage the impact of employee health risks on daily operations.
Marii chief executive officer Datuk Madani Sahari said the utilisation of the medical technology provides new options for the cooperatives sector to reach its business goals, despite challenges that remain in managing the pandemic.
“We have faith as this partnership is in accordance with the Malaysia Cooperative Transformation Plan 2021-2025, which was recently launched by our prime minister. One of the thrusts is the creation of a sustainable business environment and the empowerment of a cooperative governing body and delivery system,” he added.
The MoU was signed by Madani and MKM executive director Datuk Iskandar Abdul Malik. – Bernama, April 9, 2021
