SOCIAL innovation initiatives will be among the main drivers of plans unveiled by the Northern Corridor Implementation Authority (NCIA) yesterday to stimulate growth and spur development in the Northern Corridor Economic Region (NCER).
Social innovation is one of the key transformation strategies to bring impactful outcomes for people living in NCER, which encompasses Kedah, Perlis, Perak and Penang.
The plans were unveiled at the closing of the 18th NCIA Council Meeting chaired by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak here.
In the 11th Malaysia Plan (RMK-11), social innovation has been identified as a key driver for economic growth of people in the B40 group.
Social innovation involves the improvement and renewal of processes, technologies and business models that increase productivity and raise the living standard by promoting an inclusive economy.
Social innovation is also strongly featured in the NCER Development Blueprint 2016-2025 (Blueprint 2.0) recently launched by Najib .
With Blueprint 2.0 anchored on the theme “Growth with social equity”, NCIA will continue to support the government’s aspiration to enhance inclusiveness towards an equitable society.
NCIA chief executive Datuk Redza Rafiq said there was a need for creative and innovative solutions to foster sustainable growth, create jobs and enhance competitiveness among people.
“Social innovation produces new strategies, concepts, ideas and solutions that meet social needs and improve the standard of living, thus creating a better and safer place to live.”
Redza also announced that, as of June, NCIA had attracted RM4.65 billion worth of private sector investments and created 5,033 jobs.
Cumulatively, it has pulled in RM84.5 billion worth of investments and created 108,630 jobs since its inception in 2009.
The highlights of the meeting included the showcase of a beekeeping programme at the community innovation centre (CIC) in Kubu Gajah, Perak, and 3D-printed prosthetic limbs produced by MyVista under the Social Business Enterprise initiative.
The Social Business Enterprise initiative aims to put people as the main focus in business endeavours. Via its MCash programme, NCIA has helped MyVista to develop its business.
The company’s innovative designs are catered to help the less fortunate, especially children, to live a normal life.
Such endeavours give prominence to social welfare and they are significant catalysts in transforming people’s lives. They also accord growth with social equity.
CICs serve to impart knowledge and conduct high-impact research to lift the income of NCER communities.
The programme at the Kubu Gajah centre is a collaboration between NCIA and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), which began in 2015 and has become an example of a successful social innovation initiative.
Working with USM researchers, the local community has managed to produce high-quality honey using the university’s MUSTAFA-Hive apiculture technique.
With the aim of establishing a solid value chain for the honey industry in NCER, CIC Kubu Gajah has also become a centre for knowledge transfer in beekeeping.
In line with the agenda of generating economic growth and ensuring positive spillover for the people, NCIA will continue to enhance the region’s ecosystem by promoting and maintaining an industry-relevant talent base.
Driven by the latest strategies and innovative approaches, and backed by a strong track record, the NCER continues its journey to become a world-class economic region and a choice destination for investment, work and living.