FOR a biotechnologist like Asmi Citra Malina, returning home means facing the risk of no longer being able to continue her research work because of limited facilities and funding as well as the lack of government attention to research and development.

But Asmi did not regret returning to her hometown in Makassar, South Sulawesi, after five years of studying and doing research work in Japan. Aside from research funding from the World Bank, the 35-y