Chulin Kvass Brand Launch, Agency Briefing & Signing Ceremony

 

Speech by the Director

Institute of Visual Informatics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Chulin Kvass Brand Launch, Agency Briefing & Signing Ceremony

29 September 2026

 

v  Distinguished representatives of Harbin University of Commerce,
Distinguished representatives of Harbin Chulin Beverage Technology Co., Ltd.,
colleagues from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia,
our academic and industry partners,
distinguished guests,
ladies and gentlemen,

 

Good morning and a very warm welcome to all of you.

It is my great pleasure and honour, on behalf of the Institute of Visual Informatics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, to welcome our distinguished guests from China and Malaysia to this special occasion.

Today is a meaningful day for all of us.

We are here to celebrate the introduction of Chulin Kvass, to explore opportunities for cooperation, and most importantly, the signing of a Letter of Intent for Cooperation between Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia through the Institute of Visual Informatics, Harbin University of Commerce, and Harbin Chulin Beverage Technology Co., Ltd.

For me, today's event represents much more than a signing ceremony.

It represents a meeting of heritage, knowledge, technology and entrepreneurship.

It represents a bridge between Malaysia and China.

And it represents our shared aspiration to transform cooperation into meaningful outcomes for research, industry and society.

The future of industry is changing rapidly.

Technology is transforming the way products are developed, manufactured, distributed and marketed.

Artificial intelligence, data analytics, digitalisation, smart manufacturing and intelligent supply chains are increasingly becoming important components of modern industry.

Therefore, the challenge before us is not simply how to preserve traditional products and traditional knowledge.

The challenge is how we can combine tradition with innovation.

 

The Role of the University

At the Institute of Visual Informatics, we believe strongly in the importance of university–industry collaboration.

Universities have knowledge, researchers, students, laboratories and intellectual capabilities.

Industry has practical experience, production capabilities, market knowledge and real-world challenges.

When these two worlds come together, research becomes more relevant, and industrial challenges can become opportunities for innovation.

This is why I am particularly pleased with the areas of cooperation identified in our Letter of Intent.

 

From Research to Application

Our cooperation also provides opportunities for joint research in areas such as smart food, food technology and functional halal beverages.

This is an important direction because the food and beverage sector sits at the intersection of science, technology, health, manufacturing, consumer behaviour and international trade.

There are many questions that can be explored through collaboration.

How can smart technologies improve production processes?

How can digital systems support quality control?

How can data help us better understand consumer preferences?

How can research support product development and innovation?

And how can Malaysian and Chinese researchers jointly develop solutions that are relevant not only to our two countries, but also to the wider ASEAN market?

These are practical questions.

And practical questions require practical partnerships.

 

 

Developing People

However, ladies and gentlemen, I believe that the most important outcome of today's cooperation will not necessarily be a product, a technology or even a research paper.

It will be people.

People are at the centre of innovation.

Therefore, I hope this partnership will create opportunities for our researchers, academic staff and students to work together.

We can organise seminars, academic exchanges and industry forums.

We can develop joint research projects.

We can explore international research funding.

We can provide students with opportunities to gain international experience.

And we can expose young researchers to real industrial challenges.

Through these activities, we can develop a new generation of graduates and researchers who understand both technology and industry, research and application, Malaysia and China.

That, in my view, is one of the most valuable investments that we can make together.

 

Today's Letter of Intent

The Letter of Intent that we will sign today provides a foundation for this journey.

It establishes our shared intention to cooperate in research, technology, industry, market development, academic exchange and resource sharing.

But I would like to emphasise one important point:

The signing today is not the destination. It is the beginning.

The true success of this cooperation will be measured by what happens after today's ceremony.

 

We are using a product and its heritage as an opportunity to build a bridge between people, institutions and countries.

A bridge between Harbin and Malaysia.

A bridge between academia and industry.

A bridge between traditional knowledge and modern technology.

And a bridge between research and real-world application.

 

Closing

Distinguished guests,

On behalf of the Institute of Visual Informatics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to Harbin University of Commerce and Harbin Chulin Beverage Technology Co., Ltd. for your confidence, friendship and commitment to this collaboration.

We look forward to working closely with you in the years ahead.

Let us build a partnership based on knowledge, trust, innovation and mutual benefit.

Today, we have an opportunity to help shape the next chapter — one that combines heritage with innovation, research with industry, and Malaysia with China.

So, as we celebrate this occasion today, let us remember:

A century of heritage has brought us here.
Innovation will take us forward.
And cooperation will take us there together.

 

Thank you very much.