KUCHING: Sarawak has forest resources that can be researched on to treat cancer-related diseases, said Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said the state government wished to work with Samsung Biologics Laboratory Research Campus in South Korea as the latter depended on natural biodiversity resources.
“We have the resources in our forest that can be analysed for compounds that perhaps can produce solutions to cancer treatment.
“And Samsung Biologics, with a huge campus and with 600 scientists under them, can collaborate with our Sarawak Research and Development Council (SRDC) and exploit these resources to our advantage,” he said in his speech during the official launch of the 1st Sarawak Research and Development Council (SRDC) Research And Development Symposium at UCSI Hotel, here, today.
Earlier, he said that from his visit to the research campus two months ago, he saw a lot of new equipment and facilities in the laboratory, including analytics that diagnosed and at the same time produced new drugs.
“One of the new areas that they are into now is to produce medicines to fight cancer.
“As you know, cancer is a cell that can multiply fast in our body. And that will lead to death. What happens is that they are doing research where they have targeted cell, where they will kill that particular cancerous cell without destroying other cells.
“That is why the Sarawak government is helping the federal government to set up our cancer centre,” he said.
