As Malaysia's research and development expenditure lags behind that of major Asian economies, Minister of Higher Education, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, dedicated his inaugural speech to highlighting the need for Malaysia to prioritise impactful research that can bring real benefits to society. He called for greater funding for applied research, pointing to Esther Duflo, co-founder and co-director of the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), whose work applies research to tackle poverty, education and health issues.
