Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has said that the Malaysian government will do whatever it can to address the shortage of scientific talent in the country.

New Straits Time, a local daily, quoted Najib on Wednesday as saying that financial support would also be provided for university research.

In his message in the souvenir program for the 16th Malaysia Toray Science Foundation prize presentation, Najib said that Malaysia needed more scientists, researchers, innovators and pioneers in science and technology.

The long hours of hard work put in by scientists and researchers needed to be supported, added Najib.

He also pointed out that Malaysia had only achieved 18 percent of the target to have 60 researchers, scientists and engineers for every 10,000 people in the workforce.

It was the Malaysian government's wish to see Malaysians equipped with contemporary skills and the right mindset to face the challenging future with rapid changes, added Najib.

Najib's administration has been emphasizing on the need to master innovation and creativity as the Prime Minister vows to transform Malaysia into a high-income nation with a knowledge-based economy.

Meanwhile, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that specialization was the key to becoming a high-income economy.

Speaking at the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 award earlier, Muhyiddin said the economy was no longer about input injection, but how the same amount of input could turn out more output.

(Xinhua News Agency December 16, 2009)