PUTRAJAYA, Dec 17 — A science think tank pushed today for a law that would make it compulsory for Malaysia to spend a specified sum on research and development (R&D).

The Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM), which is an agency under the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti), said Malaysia should spend 2 per cent of the GDP on R&D by 2020, noting that only 1.13 per cent of the GDP was invested in R&D in 2012, or RM10.6 billion.

“If we don’t want to state the highest, at least state the lowest [figure],” ASM acting chief executive officer Hazami Habib told a press briefing here.

“Some arguments say we cannot quantify R&D funding in the Act,” she added, when asked about the objections to the proposed Science Act.

According to the ASM report titled “Science Outlook: Action towards Vision” that was released today, the average R&D spending in Malaysia comprise 0.08 per cent of the GDP spent by governments, 0.73 per cent of the GDP by the private sector, and 0.32 per cent of the GDP from other sources, totalling 1.13 per cent of the GDP.

The average R&D spending of G20 countries, however, is 2.04 per cent of the GDP, the report noted, even as Malaysia aims to reach developed nation status by 2020.

“To illustrate, even a developed country such as the UK spends 1.7 per cent of their GDP on research. And this is considered below average by most international measures, whereas South Korea is far ahead with 4.4 per cent of their GDP,” said the report.

According to the report, the proposed Science Act in Malaysia, which ASM said was mooted five years ago, would be instrumental in setting up an institutional framework on the governance of the science field.

The report noted there was poor coordination of science, technology and innovation (STI) policies in Malaysia, pointing out that such policies currently involve 24 ministries and more than 400 commissions, central agencies, statutory bodies, institutions and government-linked companies.

“The Act will not only signify the government’s commitment to build Malaysia’s STI capabilities and capacity but will also help resolve issues of transparency, accountability, partnerships etc,” said the report.

ASM also called for a parliamentary select committee on STI.

“If there’s a parliamentary select committee on science and technology, they can look at these reports,” ASM president Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Tajudin Ali told the press briefing, referring to the ASM report.

“So there’s an opportunity for Members of Parliament to look at science and technology issues,” he added.