MyHackathon 2022 targets development of application to monitor subsidised cooking oil sale

KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Bernama) -- The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (MOSTI) hopes that a smartphone application for monitoring the sale of subsidised cooking oil can be developed through the MyHackathon 2022 programme.

Its Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the programme was targeting the participation of 300 people, including start-up companies and innovators in the country.

He added that the development of the application was crucial to solving the issue of monitoring the sale of subsidised cooking oil. 

"We (MOSTI) also want to see the MyHackathon come up with solutions to monitor agricultural production and marketing for the purpose of forecasting supply and demand.

"(The development of the application) is also related to solutions for more effective oil palm harvesting activities; the use of robots for search and rescue activities by the Fire and Rescue Department; and also solutions for controlling drone intrusions for the purpose of smuggling or illegal surveillance of restricted areas for the Prisons Department,” he said.

He told reporters this after launching the MyHackathon 2022 First Cohort programme at the Connexion Conference & Event Centre, Bangsar South today.

Dr Adham said MyHackathon 2022 was a continuation of the programme launched in 2020 that encouraged local talent to showcase constructive ideas to help the government improve its delivery system so that all benefits will trickle down to the grassroots.

He said the programme was introduced by Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd (Cradle) as the focal point of the start-up ecosystem under MOSTI and that the MyHackathon this time offered grants totalling RM2.5 million to the 10 winners who successfully develop the best solutions.

"We are confident that the grant will further motivate them (local talent) to develop any form of solutions that can improve the delivery of government services to the people,” he said.

Dr Adham also said that Cradle Fund had so far recorded 25,000 visitors to its MyStartup platform since it was launched last November.

"Of the total, 15 per cent are visitors from abroad, namely the United States, India and the United Kingdom. We are confident the number will increase taking into account our (MOSTI) initiative to give Ali Baba 'cloud credit’ to visitors who become platform participants,” he said.

-- BERNAMA