Malaysia has the capacity to become an international leader in the provision of clean and safe water, a United States official said.
Dr Rita R. Colwell, the US presidential science envoy to South Asia and Southeast Asia, said Malaysia has the technological capacity needed in the discipline.
“It’s exciting to see what has been established, and the number of new PhD and Master’s degree holders in this country is very impressive. It means the future will be very positive,” said Dr Colwell, a professor at University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University.
She was speaking to reporters after meeting the vice-chancellor of University of Technology Malaysia (UTM), Prof Datuk Zaini Ujang here, today.
Dr Colwell, a recipient of the Stockholm Water Prize 2010, arrived in Malaysia last Wednesday for a week’s visit.
She said that following the discussion today, a proposal would be sent to the US government for a possible collaboration between several US universities and UTM in international water research.
Zaini said the cooperation would benefit both parties especially in laboratory usage.
He said at the moment UTM is collaborating with Havard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
