Mosti: Govt invites RFP for remote sensing satellite project

CYBERJAYA: The government is inviting local companies to submit Requests for Proposals (RFP) for Malaysia’s Remote Sensing Satellite Development project, starting Jan 31.

Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Chang Lih Kang, announced that the project, approved by the Cabinet, will be conducted through a public-private partnership and overseen by the Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA).

“It is open for six months to enable local companies sufficient time to seek foreign partners for the advanced technology aspects still not available in our country.

“This is the first announcement. Later there will be a submission plan and so on. The expected launch date is in 2026,” he said at a press conference after the ministry’s 2024 New Year mandate to the staff here on Jan 30.

Chang emphasised that the new remote sensing satellite will save costs and safeguard national data security.

“Currently, we buy remote sensing expertise from foreign companies. We need to have sovereignty over our air space, and to save cost,” he said.

Earlier in his speech to the Mosti staff, he outlined five sectors that will be prioritised to drive the country’s long-term economic growth.

He listed them as Artificial Intelligence (AI), hydrogen economy, space technology, biotechnology – food security and precision medicine, as well as startup ecosystems.

Chang also highlighted Mosti’s active efforts in establishing a hydrogen technology ecosystem to position Malaysia as a regional leader in the hydrogen economy.

Part of the Hydrogen Technology and Economy Roadmap’s short-term goal includes exporting approximately RM20bil worth of hydrogen energy to Korea, Japan, and Singapore by 2027, he explained.

“We will collaborate with the industry to establish a Mobile Hydrogen Refueling Station as a pilot project and explore its application in the mobility sector,” he said, adding that Sarawak is the country’s current pioneer in hydrogen technology. – BK