BUKIT JAMBUL, 26 May 2016 - For every company, which has successfully entered the market, there are many more which continue to seek access to the latest technologies, innovative research and a wealth of knowledge in order to catalyse financial growth and business expansion.

Thus, the road to success is often paved with challenges and difficulties, ranging from research and development to meeting regulatory requirements for market access.

These were the issues addressed during the recent Roundtable Discussion entitled “What’s Choking the Road to Success?” which aims to discuss the challenges and hurdles faced by companies which are ready to enter the market, and to fully understand the frustrations and constraints of such companies in achieving significant growth and going into larger businesses.

It is a known fact that companies might have their products and services ready to be marketed but bureaucracy, regulations as well as international standards are always the final hurdles that need to be crossed.

According to one of the panellist, the Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Professor Dato’ Dr. Omar Osman, the society needs to accept failures along the way of achieving what they are doing and urged all to work together and create a good platform towards focusing on future achievements, and not those of the past.

"We need to look forward and Malaysia has a lot of talents, and we need to use this opportunity to cooperate together between the industry, students and so on," he said.

Omar also highlighted the achievements by USM in managing the Centre for Research of Engineering, Science and Technology (CREST), Steinbeis Malaysia Foundation and also the Knowledge Transfer Programme (KTP).

Meanwhile, other panellists also shared their views and knowledge as this discussion gathered experienced players from the public, private and academic sectors for such purposes.

The 5 panellists involved comprised of the USM Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dato’ Dr. Omar Osman; Executive Director of Steinbeis Malaysia Foundation Dr. Abdul Reezal Abdul Latif; Director of Palm Oil & Rubber NKEA, ETP, PEMANDU Ku Kok Peng; CEO of Vigilenz Medical Sdn. Bhd. S. Choudry; CEO and Founder of Alliance Cosmetics Sdn. Bhd. Tan Thiam Hock and was moderated by the CEO of Digital News Asia Karamjit Singh, all of whom took close to 2 hours to discuss on this matter.

The roundtable discussion, organised by Steinbeis Malaysia Foundation and USM was held at the Murad Mohd Noor Auditorium, Sains@USM here recently.

Also present at this discussion session were the USM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Prof. Dato' Dr. Muhamad Jantan; Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Industry and Community Network) Prof. Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohamed; Assistant Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Wan Ahmad Kamil Wan Mahmood and Director, Innovation Office Prof. Dr. Rahmat Awang.

Text: Hafiz Meah Ghouse Meah / Photo: Mohd Fairus Md Isa