KUALA LUMPUR, June 24 — Malaysia aims to bolster its efforts in producing Nobel Prize laureates by enriching the science ecosystem, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang said.

He said the Nobel Prize laureate programme is the hope and goal of the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti) to produce experienced young Malaysian scientists on par with international Nobel laureates.

"Before we aim for these awards, Mosti must ensure we have a vibrant science ecosystem. Therefore, the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) has organised various programmes to seek potential winners, including lectures, scientific discussions and sessions with former Nobel Prize winners,” he said.

He was speaking to reporters after officiating the Nobel Laureate Lecture programme by 2001 Nobel Prize recipient Sir Paul Nurse here today.

He said the Higher Education Ministry, through local universities, is implementing initiatives outlined in the ‘Achieving Excellence in Science — The Nobel Path’ report to cultivate Nobel-calibre thinking.

Chang affirmed Mosti’s commitment to fostering an innovative research environment, aiming to establish Malaysia as a global leader in Science, Technology and Innovation.

Nurse was awarded the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, along with Leland Hartwell and Tim Hunt, for their discoveries of protein molecules that control the division of cells in the cell cycle. — Bernama