WEDNESDAY, 21 AUGUST – The Mosque and Islamic Affairs Unit (UHEIM) Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) will be organising a workshop for new converts Serie 1/2013 on 29 August.

According to a statement from the Unit, the workshop is open to new converts and the venue is at UMS Mosque.

Among the highlights of the two-day workshop are religious talks and practice on reciting the Al-Fatihah.

As such, staff and students including the public who are interested are invited to this workshop which will be held from 8.30 am until 4.30 pm.

For further enquiries, please contact Ustazah Salinah Ramlee at 019-8421030 or 088-320 000 extension 2747. – FL

By Salbinous Saribun   

                                                                                                             Chancellery Department

TUESDAY, 20 AUGUST – The new Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Chairman of the Board of Directors, Tun Dato’ Seri Zaki Tun Azmi urged academic staff of UMS to educate students to be forward thinking and more practical.

He said the responsibility of educating the new generation especially university students should be shouldered by academicians so as to produce a generation that is able to contribute to the nation.

“Today, majority of those studying at the university are there because they want to aim for a higher pay, but are not interested in what they are doing. We should change this thinking,” he said at a function with UMS academicians last night. Also present was UMS Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Datuk Dr. Mohd Harun Abdullah, members of the Board of Directors and principal officers of the University.

Tun Zaki said that lecturers should teach their students how to implement those knowledge learned to their everyday lives or in the working world in future.

“Theoretical knowledge in itself is useless if not practiced” he stressed and emphasised that academicians should set their own Key Performance Indicators (KPI).

More than 200 lecturers were present at the function.


By Salbinous Saribun
Photo: Ramdan Nain

                                                                                                             Chancellery Department

MONDAY, 19 AUGUST – Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) through the Microbiology Research Group Biotechnology Research Institute has successfully produced a bio compost from the oil palm fibres especially empty fruit bunches (EFB) of oil palm in 40 days.

The research using a specific-strain of Trichoderma in composting oil palm wastes into biofertiliser has been produced by Senior Lecturer Dr. Md Shafiquzzaman Siddiquee and Masters student Nur Shafawati Saili.

Dr. Md Shafiquzzaman said the method has many advantages compared to powder based products presently available in the market.

“Trichoderma has bio control agents that can kill or suppress the growth of fungal diseases in crops. It can also improve soil fertility and increase yield,” he said when met by UMS reporter.

According to him the research acts as an effort to reduce oil palm industrial wastes which adds to environment al damage and ecosystem degradation which will affect the health of the community.

“Thus, the UMS Microbiology Research Group is looking for local companies who are interested in this development of composting process for commercialisation in large scale application on agricultural crops,” he further added. -FL

By Salbinous Saribun
                                                                                                                                                                   Chancellery Department