LANGKAWI, Aug 8 — The Langkawi Keluarga Malaysia Science, Technology, Innovation and Economy (STIE) Design Space here will serve as the platform for single mothers in the district to boost their skills in sewing and improve their socioeconomic status.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the design space is special as his ministry, through Yayasan Inovasi Malaysia (YIM), has prepared an innovation corner for social enterprises such as the Single Mum, Recreative and Innovative Association (SURI) to train and develop single mothers through sewing based projects.
“What’s unique is we have SURI developing talent that can fully utlise the materials in the district to be turned into sellable products like bags, pants and clothes,” he said at a media conference after officiating the design space at the Langkawi Development Authority here today.
He said that innovations using recyclables contributed to the reduction of waste and helped the government’s aspirations to turn Malaysia into a green environmentally friendly country.
The design space also had social innovation products like the Flexible Silkscreen Printing Table (Flexsilk), a clothes printing desk with added features that could reduce the use of large spaces and improve designs to be more disabled friendly, especially to those in wheelchairs, Dr Adham said.
The local community could also use the space, which included a machine workshop as well as an arts and crafts workshop, to conduct innovative activities using existing technology such as 3D printers, robotics, and drones without charge, he said.
He said the design space was the result of a partnership between YIM, LADA and Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP).
In other developments, he said his ministry would work with LADA to ensure Langkawi becomes a major producer of golden sea cucumbers again as there were an abundance of sea cucumbers in the district previously.
