Malaysia produces body armour made from coconut

[hokkien]

Wednesday, Oct 17, 2012
KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia is set to produce the lightest body armour in the world partly made from coconut fibre.

The armour an invention by Universiti Teknikal Malaysia, Malacca (UTeM) will be commercialised by Tembusu Resources Bhd under the Innovation Business Opportunities Programme (IBOs) initiative.

The project is one of the 15 under phase one of the IBOs which have been taken up by industry partners for commercialisation.

Tembusu Resources managing director Mohd Ridhuan Md Noor said he was attracted by the invention because its production would include 30 per cent of coconut fibre.

He said the university created the body armour material two years ago and production would commence within six months.

Ridhuan said the locally-made, semi-organic body armour weighed less than 3.5kg and cost less than RM20,000 (S$7,950) per suit - much cheaper than the types currently available.

Ridhuan said the factory, with an initial running capital of RM16mil, would employ about 150 people over three years.

Ridhuan said his target market was local enforcement and security personnel, adding that the company also planned to export the body armour to the Asian market.

Earlier, in launching Phase 2 of the IBO at the Dewan Rakyat lobby, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Government's aim to create new wealth through technological and scientific innovation was close to realisation with 15 new projects.