Latest news with #MyISKomuniti

Barnama
28-07-2025
- Business
- Barnama
JIS Boosts Partnership Between Communities, Researchers
KUALA TERENGGANU, July 28 (Bernama) -- The implementation of the 2025 Eastern Zone Jejak Inovasi Sosial (JIS) programme has successfully fostered close collaboration between Yayasan Inovasi Malaysia (YIM), local communities, state governments, and academic researchers, said YIM chief executive officer Dr Sharmila Mohamed Salleh. She said the programme had achieved its objective of strengthening collaboration and gathering crucial input for the planning of more effective and targeted social innovation interventions in the future. According to her, the four main programmes under JIS, the Malaysia Social Innovation Initiative, MyIS Komuniti and MyIS Akar Umbi, Innovation Catalyst Volunteers (iCATS), and the Youth Innovative Challenge (YIC), enabled YIM to gain in-depth insights and conduct a comprehensive assessment of various social, economic, and environmental issues through the mapping of innovative products and social innovation talent in the eastern zone, notably around Kuala Terengganu. 'Among the highlights, the Eastern Zone JIS focused on issues and challenges faced by the fishing community in Terengganu. Throughout the engagement sessions, several key issues were identified, which will be analysed before being presented to the Subject Matter Expert Committee for assessment and proposed solutions. (These solutions) will then help determine potential innovations or technologies that can be replicated within the community. 'Therefore, feedback from all stakeholders and relevant parties is crucial, as social innovation stems from a deep understanding of the issues, challenges, and realities faced by communities,' she told reporters during the JIS programme held around Kuala Terengganu yesterday. Also present was Kuala Terengganu Member of Parliament Datuk Ahmad Amzad Mohamed @ Hashim, who officiated at the highlight of the event, the flag-off ceremony for the YIM delegation vehicles for the Eastern Zone 2025 JIS. Sharmila also said that the YIC, held at the Kuala Terengganu Science Centre, saw three winners emerge from among students of institutions of higher learning in Terengganu, who will advance to the inter-zone competition to compete for the MyIS Perintis grant, offering a total of RM400,000 to 10 winners. She said a student with the best innovative product will be selected to gain exposure and experience in technology and innovation at a university in Switzerland. Sharmila said that the YIC is an innovation competition that showcases final-year student projects at the Diploma, Degree, and Master's levels, with the potential to deliver meaningful social impact to communities.


The Sun
17-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
YIM expands innovation projects to boost local income in Melaka
MELAKA: The Malaysia Innovation Foundation (YIM) is intensifying efforts to elevate local community incomes through social innovation and technology integration. Dr Sharmila Mohamed Salleh, YIM's chief executive officer, highlighted the foundation's strategy of combining training, equipment, and tech solutions to address challenges faced by small businesses. Many local operators grapple with weather-dependent operations, outdated methods, and limited infrastructure, which restrict productivity. The MyIS Komuniti programme seeks to bridge these gaps by matching innovations with suitable technologies. 'We're not just focusing on products but also on social innovation—research, replication, and broader economic impact,' Sharmila said during the Southern Zone Innovation Tracing Programme in Pantai Kundor. The event, officiated by Pantai Kundor assemblywoman Tuminah Kardi, showcased four community projects: traditional inang-inang food production, fibreglass boat manufacturing, dried fish processing, and a proposed nipah crab and mussel farming site. Innovations like weather-resistant fish-drying techniques and child-friendly snacks were highlighted as key advancements. Sharmila encouraged applicants to seize remaining grants under this year's MyIS programme, which has allocated RM6.725 million across three initiatives—MyIS Komuniti (RM3 million), MaGRIs (RM2 million), and Ruang Daya Cipta (RM1.725 million). Since 2015, over 200,000 innovators have benefited from RM50 million in support, including equipment and training. Only 20 top applications will be selected this round. YIM is also pursuing additional funding from MOSTI to expand grassroots outreach. 'Weather-resistant tech is crucial for income stability during adverse conditions,' Sharmila noted, emphasising the need for cross-agency collaboration to strengthen the innovation value chain. - Bernama

Barnama
16-07-2025
- Business
- Barnama
YIM Expands Innovation Projects To Boost Local Community Income
MELAKA, July 16 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia Innovation Foundation (YIM) is committed to expanding its focus on social innovation and technology matching to directly boost the income of local communities. Its chief executive officer Dr Sharmila Mohamed Salleh said YIM's holistic approach, which includes pairing technologies with innovations, providing training and supplying suitable equipment, offers the best solution to challenges faced by small-scale entrepreneurs. She said many local operators struggle with weather dependency, limited facilities and traditional methods that hinder productivity. 'Under the MyIS Komuniti programme, we aim to identify innovations that can be matched with appropriate technologies. We're looking beyond products, focusing on social innovation that encompasses research, replication and its impact on both the economy and the community,' she said. She was speaking to reporters after the Southern Zone Innovation Tracing Programme under YIM's flagship Malaysia Social Innovation Programme (MyIS Komuniti), along with the MaGRIs/MyIS Grassroots and Youth Innovative Challenge (YIC), held in Pantai Kundor today. The programme was officially launched by Pantai Kundor state assemblywoman Tuminah Kardi. Earlier, Sharmila visited four local projects namely the traditional inang-inang food production in Kampung Paya Luboh, fibreglass boat manufacturing in Kampung Gelam, dried fish production in Kampung Balik Bukit and a proposed site for nipah crab and mussel farming at the Sungai Lereh fishing jetty. She noted that some of the highlighted innovations include improved fish-drying techniques that reduce dependence on sunlight and the development of child-friendly inang-inang snacks. Sharmila also urged innovators to apply for remaining grants under this year's MyIS programme, which has allocated RM6.725 million, comprising RM3 million for MyIS Komuniti, RM2 million for MaGRIs and RM1.725 million for the Ruang Daya Cipta (RDC) initiative.