By Mei Kuan
One major agenda in the Malaysian Invention & Design Society (MINDS) Perak Chapter calendar is the upcoming 31st International Invention, Innovation & Technology Exhibition (ITEX 2020).
“We wish to move members’ ideas forward to be presented at ITEX 2020. In the process, we will be recording every step, failure and success so that eventually we can have a road map for anybody who wants to develop an idea in the best and fastest way,” Dr Chakr Nagara, vice president of MINDS Perak Chapter told Ipoh Echo.
“The unfortunate part about Malaysians is that people are mostly shy. In day to day life, they have ideas. They can see the ways and means to go across, over, around obstacles or problems. Instead of growing those ideas, they keep it in their heart and forget about it after a while. We are trying to take that hurdle away as MINDS will aid one to grow the idea,” he explained during the society’s Chinese New Year fellowship lunch at Marianis @ 7 on Friday, January 31.
“Ideas can come from all ages, from a 3-year-old to a centenarian, as long as it is practical, doable and brings value to the population,” Dr Nagara, who has been a member of MINDS Perak Chapter since its inauguration, enthused.
“We go to schools and guide the students to be more inventive. We also encourage inventions that aid the elderly such as better wheelchairs,” added Tan Kim Seng, the chairman of MINDS Perak Chapter.
An invention competition jointly organised by MINDS, ITEX 2020 is endorsed by Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and supported by the Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment & Climate Change Malaysia and Ministry of Education Malaysia, among others. It will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from June 8 to 10. Previously, ITEX 2019 attracted a total of 13,100 visitors from 56 countries with more than 1000 inventions.
ITEX provides the best audience for prototype inventions or products where one can get feedback from investors to fine-tune to achieve successful commercialisation. Besides investors, venture capitalists, manufacturers, entrepreneurs, distributors and the corporate sectors, ITEX 2020 will also see the participation of primary schools, secondary schools and universities.
MINDS Perak Chapter is a state branch of MINDS Malaysia, a non-profit making NGO formed in 1986. MINDS is the largest body in Malaysia representing individuals, universities and companies to encourage creative invention, innovation, industrial design, research and development.
Interested readers can visit its website at minds.net.my.
