KOTA KINABALU: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Vice Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Kasim Hj Mansor has reminded students to be vigilant and avoid risky activities during bad weather.

Kasim said UMS students and staff need to be aware of the current weather situation to avoid unwanted incidents.

"At the moment, heavy rains accompanied by thunderstorms often occur in the evening resulting in several slippery roads while some areas were flooded.

 "Therefore, it is advisable to avoid any activities near rivers or near hills which could cause a landslide," he said in a statement recently.

Kasim also advised staff and students who live outside campus to always be careful when driving on the road.

He said many UMS staff reside in various districts while some travel back and forth for up to two hours every day.

"Last night (Monday) several areas in Penampang, Inanam and Kiulu were flooded while landslides were reported to have occurred in some areas.

"Therefore, if any staff members experience any emergencies, please contact the head of their respective department. At a time like this, safety is our priority," he said.

Kasim also reminded students to always stay alert and be careful to avoid unwanted incidents.

As the final exam of the 2022/2023 semester coincidentally falls during the raining season, he urged students who are affected by the flood to contact their lecturer, faculty management, Department of Student Affairs or the Student Representative Council.

"The university will always try to help the students while ensuring that no one drops out from taking the exam," he said.

The Malaysia Meteorological Department on Monday had issued a warning of continuous rainfall in Sabah and Sarawak until this Friday.

Thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong winds are also expected to occur in the interior and west of Sabah in the afternoon and at night until Wednesday.

KOTA KINABALU: The visit of the Japanese Ambassador to Malaysia, Takahashi Katsuhiko to the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Mosque recently is a manifestation of the close relationship between Japan and UMS.

Takahashi and his wife were welcomed to the UMS Mosque, also known as ‘The Pink Mosque’, by the director of the Center for Internationalization and Global Engagement (PPPG), Associate Professor Dr Wardatul Akmam Din.

According to Wardatul, the close relationship between the Japanese government and UMS has been established for a long time through various collaborations.

“Since 2019, a total of 20 universities in Japan have signed several letters of intent (LoI) and memorandums of understanding (MoU) in the academic field with UMS.

“The collaboration is related to student mobility and research activities that involve providing funds to UMS researchers, as well as staff mobility,” she said.

She added that the infrastructure provided by UMS, especially in the marine field, had successfully attracted the interest of Kindai University, which witnessed a collaboration with the university.

“Most recently, a strategic cooperation relationship was also signed in the field of social sciences between UMS and Nagasaki University involving the mobility of academics from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities.

“UMS always strives to form strategic collaborations with foreign university partners in promoting UMS as an educational hub, especially in the Borneo region.

“With the diversity of flora and fauna and having a unique culture inhabited by more than 40 ethnics in the state of Sabah, this is one of the natural attractions that UMS can offer to researchers and students who want to experience new things,” she said.

Wardatul also informed that as of 2022 nine Japanese students have graduated from UMS while more than 100 people have followed the academic mobility and edutourism program offered by the university.

“We will always open space and opportunities to increase the number of mobility students from Japan,” she said.

During the visit, Takahashi also visited Hatchery, the Borneo Marine Research Institute.

KOTA KINABALU: The Community Garden Project is a collaboration between the Faculty of Psychology and Education (FPE) of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) together with five other organisations to improve the psychological well-being of the younger generation.

According to coordinator, Dr. Getrude Cosmas, who is a senior lecturer at FPP, the project is a platform that can expose young people to improve skills and knowledge about gardening activities.

“This Community Garden project is carried out in collaboration with UMS together with the Sabah Community Services Council (MPMS), Sabah Psychosocial Association, Kaiduan Agriculture Training Center (KATC), SK. Kaiduan, Papar and WRS 4x4 Club with funding from MPMS through the 2022 Children’s Social Programme Grant.

“Soft skills such as group work, interpersonal and communication, are also applied to help improve the psychological well-being of SK Kaiduan students, UMS students and other participants,” he said.

It was held in conjunction with the Christmas and New Year celebrations together with colleagues involved in the Community Garden Project at KATC, recently.

Some 73 participants had the opportunity to clean the plant site, sow, fertilise, put soil in polybags and plant various types of vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, mustard, sweet vegetables, white pumpkin, red spinach, sweet potatoes and eggplant.

“Apart from farming, the participants representing various organisations had the opportunity to interact and get to know each other through the activities.

Among the highlights of the event included gardening activity at Taman HIP (Highly Immersive Program) at SK Kaiduan, colouring activity for students (Years 2 to 4) and a story composing activity (Years 5 and 6),” he said.

“This event is a sign of appreciation to all participants, including 34 SK Kaiduan students and five KATC staff.

“A teacher from Mara Junior College of Science (MRSM), Jolifulizan Jais, shared about the opportunities and requirements for admission to MRSM,” he said.

He added that UMS and MRSM had the opportunity to donate gifts in the form of bags and stationery to students.

“It is hoped that this collaboration programme between various agencies will be able to continue in the future with the goal of improving the well-being of students in the interior parts of Sabah,” said Gertrude.

Also present were SK Kaiduan Headmaster Uzair Kee Yahya; Kaiduan Eco-Farm Manager Rebekah Alpeus; and FPP lecturer Dr Patricia Joseph Kimong.

KOTA KINABALU: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) is taking measures to reduce the impact of water shortage in campus here, due to water rationing that is expected to last until 2024.

UMS vice chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Kasim Mansor said that besides constant contact with Sabah Water Department and daily monitoring of water level in the department’s tank there, the university had also provided external water tanks at the college dorm locations.

"UMS at present is also using the lorry tank service from Penampang’s Moyog water treatment plant, with up to 20 deliveries daily or up to 300,000 litre daily for undergraduates’ use at dorms and buildings around the campus," he said in a statement on Monday (Feb 6).

Earlier, Prof Kasim revealed that the Kota Kinabalu campus needed between 3 million litres per day (MLD) to 5 MLD to accommodate needs but was aware that the university was among those affected from water supply rationing from Telibong water treatment plant in Tuaran.

He said that based on meetings with the state Water Department, they were informed that the combined areas where Telibong plant were supplying water required 190 MLD, but the facility could only accommodate 164 MLD.

"The department is also facing water theft or leakages up to 8 MLD, and at the same time, pipe upgrading along Pan Borneo highway are also currently being done.

"According to the information from the department, the water disruption issues are expected to be settled in 2024 for these areas involved, so they have to do rationing in the meantime," he added.

Prof Kasim said UMS had also looked for alternative water sources within campus, where they had built a piping system to get water sourced from the hills that could provide 80,000 litre per day.

"The university will also identify other hill water sources and build new piping to channel water to undergraduates (in dorms).

"For a long-term plan, we are looking at channeling water via 'tube wells'.

"These measures may not be a complete solution, but UMS is committed to do what is necessary to reduce the water rationing impact for the comfort of our undergraduates and staff," he added.