FRIDAY, 21 JUNE – The Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) will be interviewed live on TV1 in the ‘Selamat Pagi 1Malaysia’ programme on 24 June.  The Vice-Chancellor who is also the Commandant of the Reserve Officers Volunteers Force (PALAPES) UMS will touch on the forthcoming Royal Commissioning Ceremony which will be held at this EcoCampus university on 06 July 2013.  The interview which is scheduled at 7.50 am at Wisma TV RTM Angkasapuri Kuala Lumpur will take about 15 minutes.  Also scheduled to be present is Major General Dato’ Mazelan Kasap. - FL

                                                                                                  Information and Media Section, Corporate Relations Division

FRIDAY, 21 JUNE – Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Enactus Team had recently organised a community programme under the auspices of the UNFOLD Project which aimed at helping the poor especially in the urban area.

Among the targeted communities were single mothers, the blind, orphans and the underprivileged around Sabah.  Enactus UMS had helped these groups to generate income besides easing their burden through producing handicraft products.

Handicraft workshops such as the making of bracelets using plastic bottles and key-chain making using aluminium tins were successfully done by Enactus UMS to the Bukit Harapan Welfare Home and the Tambunan Orphanage.

The UNFOLD Community Project Director, Aarston Friend Dickson said the projects done by the Enactus UMS team will help increase the sosio-economy of the participants both directly and indirectly.

“Generating creative ideas and the implementation of the UNFOLD project was an initiative by the Enactus UMS team to increase the livelihood of the underprivileged in Sabah,” he said in his speech at the official opening of the programme.

According to an inmate of the Bukit Harapan Welfare Home Oliver, the organising of this workshop by Enactus UMS managed to teach them ways to produce handicraft products by using recycle produce.

“This kind of programme is exciting and will uplift our spirit to improve our standard of living,” he urged.

Enactus UMS hoped that the knowledge and skills obtained would help the community to be independent and competitive in future and urged all locals to support the UNFOLD community project.  All contributions and support can be channelled to Bukit Harapan Welfare Home, Tambunan Orphanage and the Sabah Blind Society. – FL

Source: Enactus UMS Team (FMD)

                                                                                                  Information and Media Section, Corporate Relations Division

THURSDAY, 20 JUNE – UMS moves a step forward in its intention to realise the UMS EcoCampus Strategic Plan when it signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) relating to green technology with Centro-Ecotech, China, a company whose skill is in green technology.

UMS Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Datuk Dr. Mohd. Harun Abdullah at the Memorandum of Understanding Signing Ceremony between UMS and Centro-Ecotech said this collaboration was in line with UMS EcoCampus intention which focuses on the environment-friendly concept in every aspect of life, either within or outside of the campus.

“This collaboration involves the setting up of a research centre in UMS which will conduct research and commercialisation activities relating to green technology.  It is hope that this MoU would have a positive impact on the environment-friendly technology development, besides strengthening the close cooperation between these two countries,” he said.

At the ceremony, UMS was represented by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Datuk Dr. Mohd. Harun Abdullah who signed the MoU witnessed by No’Man Hj. Ahmad, Head of Chancellery Department; whilst Centro-Ecotech was represented by the Company Director Chen Bing Guang, and witnessed by Yan Ji-Rong, the Deputy Director of the Dongguan Science and Technology Department.  Also present were Prof. Dr. Shahril Bin Yusof; Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation, Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr. Rosalam Haji Sarbatly, Dean of the School of Engineering and Information Technology; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yang Soo Siang, Head of Programme of the Electric and Electronic Engineering Programme; and Daniel Kwok, Centro-Ecotech Marketing Director .

Besides the setting up of the research centre relating to green technology, UMS with the collaboration of Centro-Ecotech in building the Energy Efficient Cleanroom Control an Building Automation System, besides the exchange of expertise and technology and knowledge transfer between these two entities, including the marketing and commercialisation of end product according to international standards. – FL

By: Mohd. Affzanizam Mohd. Amin
Photo: Musaab Umair

WEDNESDAY, 19 JUNE – Following the recent 13^th General Election (GE) results which saw the Barisan Nasional (BN) forming the federal government, a knowledge discussion entitled ‘Post 5 May’ was organised which touch on BN’s victory from the academic view and its effect on the socio-economy of Sabah.

This discussion organised by the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Management and Professional Officers Association Non-Academic (PPUMS) in collaboration with the Dewan Bahasa magazine issued by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) held at the Postgraduate Auditorium of this EcoCampus University saw a heated discussion among its panellists comprising the Registrar, Datuk Abdullah Hj. Mohd Said; Deputy President of the Malay Chamber of Commerce Malaysia, Datuk Ag. Buhtamam Ag. Mahmun; and the country’s well-known political analysis, Dr. Jeniri Amir.

Taking into account the fact that Sabah and Sarawak are seen as the biggest contributors to BN’s victory, Datuk Ag. Buhtamam suggested that it was timely for the government to take major transformation towards a total change in the rural areas so that its community would enjoy a better living environment.

“The perception of setting aside rural development could be considered as immature politics because the mandate given by the community there to BN was clear.  This is the right time for the government to make changes by halting suggestions of developing the urban areas that are already seen to be well developed,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Jeniri Amir commented on a question by members of the floor that the new generation of today preferred the opposition party because they saw the inequality practiced in today’s politics and wanted change.

“What the Y generation want is good education, career opportunities, affordable housing and good governance in the government.  This generation is a generation that will be the government one day.  This is the time for the government to take into account the ideas of the young generation and to improve the present system,” he said.

Asked for his opinion on the subject of top posts offer for Sabahans and Sarawakians, Datuk Abdullah Mohd. Said opined that such offers were good.

“Executing our responsibilities in a mature fashion is very important as a leader and it should run parallel with solid work quality so that it would not go to a waste,” he said.

Earlier, UMS Vice-Chancellor Prof. Datuk Dr. Mohd. Harun Abdullah in his opening speech said that the government chosen during the recent GE, either at the national or state level were the government that received the public’s mandate.

“The practice of democracy as the main thrust is a good mechanism ever created by human being.  The differences in opinion, ideas and outlook are not the cause of catastrophe or the source of division amongst us but if properly addressed and managed appropriately, it would bring blessings and will develop the country,” he urged.

The knowledge discussion which ran for two hours managed to bring together intellectuals and received good response from UMS staff, government agencies, NGOs, and students of Higher Learning Institutions around Kota Kinabalu. - FL

By: Faezah Mohamad Dun
Photo: Ramdan Nain