JIS Boosts Partnership Between Communities, Researchers – Yayasan Inovasi Malaysia

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 Terengganu Science and Creativity 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.

Earlier, she also visited four selected innovation projects: the Ezy Cube at the Terengganu State Public Library, modular batik craft production in Kampung Banggol Donas, essential oil extraction from gelam trees along Jalan Kuala Berang, and the Mercope grass-cutting machine innovation at the Kuala Terengganu Science Centre to identify the challenges and issues encountered from various aspects throughout the development process of the respective products.

“Social innovation is not solely about the end product, but also the processes involved. For example, in the case of the modular batik craft, we found issues related to cost and the durability of the materials used. So, we hope that researchers or innovators within the YIM ecosystem can step in to support the student,” she added.

-- BERNAMA