A total of 386 students from the Faculty of Science and Natural Resources (FSSA), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), were celebrated at the Dean’s Award Ceremony for Semester 2, Session 2023/2024, which was recently held at the Banquet Hall, UMS Chancellor Hall.

The ceremony aimed to recognize the outstanding achievements of students who have demonstrated exceptional performance in their studies, including 18 students who achieved a Semester Grade Point Average (SGPA) of 4.0, proving their academic excellence at UMS.

The Dean of FSSA, Prof. Dr. Jualang Azlan Gansau, in his speech, expressed his appreciation to all parties who played a crucial role in the students' success, particularly the parents and faculty members.

He also emphasized the importance of lifelong learning to ensure that students remain relevant and are prepared to face the increasing challenges of the working world.

"This success not only reflects the students' hard work but also the dedication and support from lecturers and family members.

"I hope this excellence will continue and serve as an inspiration and motivation for other students to strive for success," he said.

During the event, two outstanding student representatives, Arman Idlan Haidis from the Biotechnology Program and Yvone Tse Iyi Wen from the Marine Science Program, shared their experiences and challenges throughout their studies.

Also present at the ceremony were the Deputy Dean of Academic and International Affairs, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Darmesah Gabda; Deputy Dean of Student Affairs and Alumni, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chee Fuei Pien; FSSA Chief Administrator, Aidah Noordin; and Director of the Dean's Award Ceremony, Ts. Dr. Abu Bakar Abd Rahman.

The ‘On-Site Learning’ activity was conducted by a group of 61 second-year Civil Engineering students, from the Faculty of Engineering (FKJ) at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) took place at Sandakan, recently. 

FKJ lecturer Sr. Ts. Br. Dr. Asmawan Bin Mohd Sarman, who guided the students in successfully organizing the program, stated, “This visit to the construction project of the Children’s Education Park and Training Complex for the Disabled serves academic purposes, introducing students to the ‘3D’ elements of construction: Difficult, Dirty and Dangerous. This exposure allows them to experience the real project execution environment and prepare for future career challenges,”.

The program director, Atalarick Firman Syach Bin Suhaini, highlighted the added value of this activity through interaction with professional engineers. “We received great cooperation from JKR Sandakan, and I am grateful for the knowledge gained and the questions raised by classmates. Everyone enjoyed the experience while learning something new. For me, as the program director, this is a success,” he shared.

The program was conducted as part of the KA21102 Contract and Estimation course in collaboration with JKR Bandaraya Sandakan Sabah, Babankong Sdn Bhd and Rigi Development Sdn Bhd. During the site visit, participants were accompanied by lecturer , Sr. Ts. Br. Dr. Asmawan Bin Mohd Sarman and site engineers who provided detailed explanations about the construction processes of the projects.

Additionally, the program served as a reunion of alumni. Alumni such as Ms. Nur Elfira Afifa Binti Mansor, an officer and engineer at JKR Bandaraya Sandakan Sabah, and Mr Azamawi as the engineer, symbolize the importance of early exposure in building a civil engineering career. Their achievements showcase how UMS alumni can excel and demonstrate competence in the engineering industry , inspiring students to achieve similar success.

Ms. Nur Elfira noted that this program , held for two consecutive years at JKR Bandaraya Sandakan Sabah, offers valuable exposure to construction site conditions. “My advice is for students to gain as much knowledge as possible by working on-site with suppliers or contractors to understand what needs to be known for future use,” she stated.

Mr. Azamawi, the engineer and UMS alumni, also remarked, “This program is excellent for gaining hands-on site experience, where students can ask questions to enhance their knowledge.”

Through the ‘On-Site Learning’ program, students were able to strengthen their bonds and enhance their enthusiasm for exploring new knowledge. It is hoped that this experience will help students directly understand the practical applications of their studies and better prepare them to face challenges in the real construction industry.

The inaugural 2025 Hospital Universiti Malaysia Sabah (HUMS) Juniors Open Pickleball Tournament marked the beginning of Sabah's pickleball tournament calendar for the year.

It was organized by Kelab Kebajikan dan Rekreasi HUMS (KKRHUMS) in conjunction with the Sabah Pickleball Association (SAPA), and notably, this was the first ever Sabahan tournament devoted exclusively to junior players.

According to the SAPA President, Julita Akabal, the purpose of the tournament was to unearth new talent among junior players, and to encourage new players to further their interest and achievement in the sport.

“This tournament also the best platform to provide veteran juniors with an avenue for high quality competitions at local level to prepare them for inter-state and international events.

“To that effect, the tournament was divided into Novice and Intermediate categories, to encourage new and less experienced players to garner competition experience without fear of being overwhelmed or dominated by state players,” she said.

Meanwhile, Director of HUMS, Associate Professor Dr Malehah Datuk Mohd Noh, who was on hand to witness the U12 closing ceremonies and award the prizes to the winners, commended pickleball as being part of a very important public health strategy especially for younger people, who are currently inundated with the twin evils of smartphone addiction and obesity.

“I was pleased to see many young people join and was happy that for a new sport, there had been such high level of visibility and regular training and competition.

“I hoped that SAPA and HUMS will organize more junior pickleball tournaments and also regular matches and hopes that the UMS Pickleball Arena will one day reach tournament standard,” she said.

The tournament featured 30 junior players between ages 7 to 17, representing more than 10 primary and secondary schools, and even featuring two players with British nationality.

In the U12 male doubles category, Muhammad Ammar Asyraf and Ivanovic Saniyil, both from SK Malawa, achieved victory in the novice category for beginner players, whereas Dominic Ziquan Pang from SJK (C) St James and Seth Ooi Jhu Fen from SRS Datuk Simon Fung were the winners of the Intermediate category for tournament level players.

For the U12 female doubles category, Nursuhannah Mohd Shahnaz and Nurshahirah Mohd Shahnaz, both from SJK (C) Yick Nam, were the victors in the novice category.

The U17 female doubles novice category was won by Sarah and Eliana Sandah from SMK St Francis Convent.

In the U17 male category had a large range of high-level players compete, and they did not disappoint.

The U17 intermediate category was won by Nathan and Samuel Guansing, who narrowly pipped Golden Chong Hon Yee and Jayden Jay Ng from SMJK Shan Tao into second place.

Third place finishers were Ravin Tampi and Jayden Tiu from SM All Saints.

The Natural Disaster Research Centre (NDRC) at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) aims to further explore smart collaborations with various agencies to enhance disaster management efforts.

This was highlighted by the Director of NDRC, Assoc. Prof. Ts. Gs. Dr. Carolyn M. Payus, while welcoming a working visit from the delegation of the Penang State Secretary's Office (PSUKPP), led by the Head of the Disaster Management Unit, Ambika Devi a/p Daran, to UMS recently.

According to Carolyn, the visit by PSUKPP aimed to gain a deeper understanding of NDRC's functions and research activities, as well as to explore cross-sector collaboration opportunities in disaster management.

“We warmly welcome visits from government agencies and NGOs, such as PSUKPP, which open up opportunities for collaboration in research and consultancy related to national disaster management across various sectors.

“Such visits encourage academic collaboration and foster smart understanding between NDRC UMS and state government agencies like PSUKPP in strengthening the national disaster risk reduction agenda,” she said.

She added that NDRC serves as a focal point for all disaster-related research in Sabah.

“The center is also actively involved in disaster risk management and reduction activities through research and public awareness programs, particularly in enhancing community preparedness for disasters.

“This includes initiatives to empower the implementation of Community-based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) in Sabah,” she explained.

During the visit, Carolyn introduced NDRC researchers and officers present, including Disaster Communication Research Fellow from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSK) UMS, Dr. Mumamad Ikhram Mohamad Ridzuan; Deputy Director I of the Sabah Weather and Earthquake Operations Center, Malaysian Meteorological Department, Dr. Chai Mui Fatt, who is also an Associate Research Fellow at NDRC; and NDRC Research Officer, Eldawaty Madran.

At the end of the visit, the nine-member delegation toured the Earthquake Monitoring System, SEISCOMP3, at the NDRC Laboratory, the Kota Kinabalu Seismology Station (UMS), and the Tidal Gauge (Tsunami) Station operated by MET Malaysia at the UMS Jetty.

A technical briefing on the functions of SEISCOMP3, the Seismology Station, and the Tidal Gauge (Tsunami) was delivered by Dr. Chai Mui Fatt.

Also present during the visit were the Secretary of the Human Resource Management Division at PSUKPP, Roziyah Shariff; Head of the Corporate Communications & Innovation Unit, Saiful Syarizal Yaakob; Head of the Integrity Unit, Mohd Faizal Che Meh; and Secretary of the Council and Protocol Management Division, Mohd Roshidi Azmi.