PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia more than achieved its targets for Expo 2020 Dubai which took place from October 2021 to March 31 this year, says the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry.

       Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the government had set a target to achieve between RM8bil and RM10bil in trade and investment potentials over the six-month period of the expo.

       During the expo, he said Malaysia succeeded in generating potential value for trade, investment and business leads worth over RM70bil as announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on March 30 at the Malaysia Pavilion’s closing ceremony.

       “This achievement proves that the ecosystem for commercialisation of the country’s R&D is still relevant,” Dr Adham said in a statement yesterday.

       His ministry was the lead ministry for Malaysia’s participation at Expo 2020 Dubai while the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation was the implementing agency.

       Apart from the economic achievement, he said Malaysia also managed to organise programmes of international standards while participating in the expo.

       “The Malaysia Pavilion received over one million visitors apart from visits by 151 top delegates from countries or international organisations participating in the expo,” he added, Bernama reported.

       The Malaysia Pavilion was listed as one of the five greenest pavilions and one of the seven most popular pavilions by international media.

       “Besides winning the Gold Award for the Theme Interpretation category, Malaysia also received an Honourable Mention along with Austria and the Netherlands for the Best Sustainable Design category organised by Exhibitor World Expo Awards Magazine,” said Dr Adham.

       He said Malaysia owed its success to 21 ministries, 70 government agencies, five state governments and 490 private companies that had participated in the weekly programmes at the Malaysia Pavilion.