Malaysian Invention & Design Society

A very significant year.

• Tun Dr. Mahathir, Prime Minister of Malaysia become a member of MINDS.
• MINDSMART, the commercial arm to market innovations was launched.
• Ladyminds, a chapter for women members was established.
• IFIA Cup, an award for outstanding women inventor was launched.
• Anugerah Perekacipta Negara was awarded for the first time.
• Two more chapters were established in Penang and in Miri.

Prestigious Design Society

• Local Inventors won 5 medals at International Invention Exhibition in Geneva.
• Tun Dr.Mahathir Mohamad officially installed as Patron of MINDS.
• Launching of “Smart Lamp” a local invention by Y.A.B. Dato’Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
• Yayasan Rekacipta was launched with RM 500,000 grant from MOSTE.
• The Tan Sri Dr. Augustine Ong Fellowships Trust Fund was created.

Outstanding Achievements

• 100% success was scored as all 13 inventions entered for the international invention Exhibition in Geneva won medals. In addition Dr. Choo Yuen May was awarded the WIPO Gold Medal for Best Woman Inventor.
• Conference on Women Inventors, Scientist and Engineers (WISE) was held.
• Asia-Pacific School Invention Competition was held in conjunction with the 6th MINDEX.
• The Honorable Prime Minister launched three new inventions.
• A chapter was launched in Ipoh.
• Series of patent Awareness seminars was jointly organized with the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment for Research Institutions and Universities.
• The President of MINDS was elected as Executive Committee Member of IFIA.
• Tan Sri Dr. Augustine Ong Fellowship organized the inaugural Public Lecture by Prof. Stephen Hawking.
• A Concept for MINDSCENTRE and Inventors Movement was developed.

MINDS participated in the Festival of Mind Exhibition organised by the Malaysian Mental Literacy Movement of Malaysia.  The exhibition was held at the Petaling Jaya Campus of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman from 1st August to 3rd August, 2008 and was officiated by Dr Ng Yen Yen, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development.

MINDS’ objectives:
* To encourage creative thinking and the spirit of invention among Malaysians
* To promote and enhance the development and utilisation of Malaysian art, inventions and designs
* To provide advice and guidance to individual inventors and designers as well as companies involved in research and development
* To offer support and guidance in the commercialisation of new inventions and product ideas
* To provide professional development and training programs to enhance competitiveness

MINDS is honoured to have as its patrons, The Right Honourable Dato’ Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Prime Minister of Malaysia and The Hon. Datuk Law Hieng Ding, Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment who have provided the essential leadership for Malaysians to use their creativity and inventiveness to the fullest. Along with the Founding President, Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Augustine Ong, MINDS has provided a platform from which inventors and designers are able to generate ideas and successfully commercialise them into leading brands.

MINDS is active nationally and internationally and associated with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and the International Federation of Inventors’ Associations. With support from the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment, Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Education and SIRIM, MINDS has established itself as the leading body to support inventions and designers in Malaysia.