MOSTI formulates act to regulate national space industry

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti) is formulating an act which will be used to regulate and drive activities related to the national space industry. Its minister, Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said the act, which is known as the National Space Act, was being formulated as Malaysia was getting actively involved in space exploration activities. "On the encouragement of the government, Mosti feels that the time has come to shape a comprehensive policy, that is, in terms of pioneering and encouragement for the national space industry," he told reporters after launching the Fourth Anniversary of the National Astronaut Programme (Supan-4), here Monday. He said, towards this end, Mosti was discussing with various quarters, among them academicians and those agencies involved in the national space industry. He said the act was necessary so that overall guidelines, driven by National Space industry-related laws, could be provided. "Until now, we are only using related laws and existing acts, and I hope in the middle of next year, we can see the first draft from the discussions," he said. Meanwhile, Ongkili said the Astronaut Programme had opened opportunities for cooperation and invaluable experience to the research and science communities in Malaysia to venture into microgravity research at international level. He said among them was the cooperation with the Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency for the crystallisation of protein which started in 2009 and expected to end in 2012. "Until to date, we have succeeded in crystallising at least 24 local proteins of high quality which could be applied in the Oleo-Chemical industry in Malaysia and at international level," he said.