Member of Parliament, Dr Wee Ka Siong (BN - Ayer Hitam) question the rational of Universities forking out millions for dubious awards He said Geneva-based international science exhibition, where Malaysian universities have won numerous awards, are not judged by a panel of experts but by the exhibition organisers themselves.
“Hence, it’s no surprise that each year, more than half of the participants receive awards,” he said during the motion of thanks on the Royal Address at the Dewan Rakyat.
“I met a professor from a renowned European university while on an overseas trip."
“He laughed and told me that such awards offer no academic merits,” said Dr Wee, adding that most of the products showcased in these exhibitions were from Malaysian universities
He singled out the Geneva exhibition as a favourite among Malaysian universities.
“It is embarrassing that our universities are spending millions to participate in these low-standard award competitions.”
Dr Wee alleged at one foreign exhibition, the organisers imposed 650 euros (RM3,200) for participants who had yet to commercialise their products, 180 euros (RM831) for each metre of exhibition space used and 370 euros (RM1,709) to rent a display counter.
He described such exhibitions as “profit making shows.”
The international 72-member jury judges each invention on its own merits, which means that there is not just one gold, one silver and one bronze medal per category of invention.
Other than local University, did you remember any local company that get such award?
The wheatgrass products of the company get The Geneva International Invention Award in 2000. It is not sure such award is the one claim by Dr Wee. However, the sales of the product has lifted the company into next level after getting such award. The product has get another award in Hong Kong and the company has listed on Mesdaq.
Yigaho lead by ex-actress Miss Lim Chew Yin, who was a spoke person for INS and her brother who was a researcher of wheatgrss in INS.
INS has diversified into other product like bitter gourd extract for diabetic call Insupro forte and Bloodstream Super 2 to mitigate it effect on increase competition on wheatgrass market.
There is at least a few rival product for it diabetic product. INS, however claim that other bitter gourd's products do not contain certain extract in their products.
A weekly Mandarin health newspaper in Malaysia, Mingguan Kesihatan stated that bitter gourd may have some side effect on certain people on one of it issue. The paper claim that people might have to go to toilet after taking bitter gourd.
It is not sure how INS's Bloodstream product in the market. This is a product base on your blood type: A,B,AB and O etc. Less marketing activity have been seen on such product. The company marketing aggressively it bitter gourd product on various health magazine in Malaysia recently.
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