Proposal to study Sarawak highland salt
The Star (Malaysia), 14 November 2008
KUCHING, MALAYSIA: Malaysia’s Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry has proposed that a study be done by local scientists on the medicinal benefits of mountain salt found in the highland areas of Bario and Bakelalan in northern Sarawak. Addressing the 10th Symposium of the Malaysian Society of Applied Biology, Deputy Minister Fadillah Yusof said there were many claims on the medicinal value, especially among Orang Ulu communities there. Fadillah also urged scientists and researchers to help indigenous communities in Sarawak to preserve their traditional knowledge through proper documentation. “Indigenous groups have inherited knowledge from their ancestors, but this is not documented. There is concern that this knowledge may eventually be lost. It is increasingly important that such knowledge be documented. The documentation will give commercial value to traditional knowledge,” he said. It was high time for those involved in documenting traditional knowledge to patent products with the Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia, an agency under the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry, Fadillah said. “To avoid what happened with tongkat ali, a herb found in Malaysia but patented in the United States, it is critical for us to protect our biodiversity,” he said. Read the article …
