Knowledge-intensive sectors such biopharmaceuticals, information technology, chemicals and entertainment increasingly underpin sustainable growth and employment in most OECD countries. This is not just a Western phenomenon. Advanced Asian economies – Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Taiwan – have over recent decades moved from agriculture to manufacturing to knowledge-based industries, and China is now charting its own course in this direction. As Malaysia looks to graduate to High Income Country status, it will also need to pay close attention to growing its own knowledge-based industries and participating more meaningfully in global value chains.
But what are the key policies that are necessary to encourage local innovation and international investment and technology transfer? How are regional neighbours approaching this issue? And what more can Malaysia do to improve its innovation policy framework? The below is a summary of a half day round table in Kuala Lumpur on this important topic, co-hosted by the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs and Geneva Network. Speakers included:
• He Jing, Partner, Anjie Law Firm, China
• Stephen Ezell, Vice President, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, United States
• Philip Stevens, Director, Geneva Network, United Kingdom
• Azwar Kamarudin, Director of Corporate Affairs, Pfizer, Malaysia
• Berly Martawardaya, Program Director, Institute for Development of Economics and Finance, Indonesia

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