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.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) telah menerima kunjungan Timbalan Menteri Pendidikan Tinggi, Dato' Mohammad Yusof Apdal, di sini.

Kunjungan beliau disambut Naib Canselor UMS, Prof. Datuk Dr. Kasim Haji Mansor di Bangunan Canselori UMS bersama Pegawai-pegawai Utama dan pengurusan Universiti.

Pada kunjungan tersebut Yusof menerima taklimat perkembangan semasa serta pencapaian-pencapaian terkini UMS yang disampaikan oleh Kasim.

Menurut Kasim, UMS akan terus meningkatkan kapasiti dan kredibiliti universiti selari dengan 11 agenda yang digariskan dalam Perutusan Tahun Baru 2023 oleh Menteri KPT, Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin baru-baru ini.

“Sejak penubuhan UMS 28 tahun yang lalu, pembangunan universiti adalah berinspirasikan kepada usaha menjadikan universiti sebagai pusat yang melahirkan graduan terbilang.

“Selain itu, UMS sebagai sebuah universiti komprehensif sentiasa menggalakkan para pensyarah untuk melakukan penyelidikan-penyelidikan yang bukan hanya memberi impak kepada kedudukan universiti tetapi juga kepada kemashlahatan masyarakat,” katanya.

Untuk itu, katanya UMS pada tahun ini memperkenalkan slogan ‘Leading Towards Innovative Societies’ yakni bagi melipatgandakan lagi komitmen universiti sebagai peneraju ke arah melahirkan masyarakat yang berinovatif sekali gus turut menjayakan aspirasi nasional sebagaimana yang dihasratkan oleh Perdana Menteri menerusi slogan Malaysia Madani

“Pelbagai program bersama masyarakat akan dilaksanakan dengan memfokus kepada proses pemindahan ilmu kepada komuniti setempat merangkumi empat sektor utama khususnya di Sabah iaitu pertanian, perindustrian, pelancongan dan perkhidmatan.

“Bagi menjayakan matlamat ini, UMS akan memperluaskan jaringan kerjasama dengan pemegang taruh, mewujudkan lebih banyak "Living Laboratory" dengan kerjasama agensi-agensi kerajaan dan industri,” katanya.

Dalam pada itu, Yusof yang diberi kepercayaan selaku Timbalan Menteri Pendidikan Tinggi berkata kementeriannya akan memastikan pendidikan tinggi negara menjadi salah satu tunjang utama kepada kemajuan negara.

“Menjadi hasrat Kementerian untuk mendekati semua institusi pendidikan tinggi (IPT) menerusi lawatan kerja seperti ini bagi memastikan pendekatan yang digagaskan di pihak Kementerian dapat direncana dan dilaksanakan bersama dengan pihak IPT.

“Di samping itu, kita juga ingin melihat dan mendengar sendiri inisiatif-inisiatif IPT yang boleh dikongsikan dgn semua IPT,” ujar beliau.

Hadir sama menyambut ketibaan Yusof ialah Timbalan Naib Canselor Akademik dan Antarabangsa, Prof. Dr. Rasid Mail; Timbalan Naib Canselor Hal Ehwal Pelajar dan Alumni, Prof Madya Dr Raman Noordin; serta Pegawai-pegawai Utama dan Kanan UMS.

Jawatankuasa Pengarah Antarabangsa Universiti Awam Malaysia (JKPA) mampu menyokong dan melaksanakan hasrat yang telah digariskan Kementerian Pendidikan Tinggi (KPT) dalam memacu kecemerlangan agenda pendidikan tinggi negara.

Naib Canselor Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Profesor Datuk Dr. Kasim Hj. Mansor berkata, beliau yakin JKPA di bawah teraju pengerusi baharu, Dr. Hajah Zainab Haji Mohd Noor mampu menggerakkan usaha dalam menjadikan Malaysia sebagai hab bakat dan pengetahuan serantau.

“Saya ingin mengucapkan tahniah dan selamat menjalankan amanah sebagai Pengerusi JKPA bagi tempoh 2023 hingga 2025 kepada Dr. Hajah Zainab.

“Semoga di bawah teraju Dr. Hajah Zainab, JKPA akan terus menyumbang dalam memperkukuh dan mengantarabangsa sumber intelektual sebagaimana hasrat KPT,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian dalam satu majlis Meet & Greet sempena Mesyuarat JKPA Universiti Awam Malaysia Kali Ke-27 yang berlangsung di Dewan Bankuasi, Bangunan Dewan Canselor UMS.

Kasim juga berharap agar JKPA akan terus memperkukuh peranan Malaysia sebagai ‘titik temu’ yang menarik kedatangan pelajar, penyelidik dan bakat global.

“Malaysia dengan kepelbagaian flora dan fauna dan yang paling utama kepelbagaian etnik dan budaya merupakan lokasi yang mampu menyediakan pengalaman pembelajaran yang fleksibel” ujarnya lagi.

Beliau turut merakamkan penghargaan kepada mantan Pengerusi JKPA sesi 2021/2023, Profesor Dr. Yong Zulina Zubairi yang kini dilantik sebagai Pendaftar Universiti Malaya (UM) yang baharu serta menyempurnakan sesi pertukaran cenderamata bersama Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) selaku pengerusi mesyuarat.

Hadir sama pada majlis tersebut Timbalan Naib Canselor (Akademik dan Antarabangsa), Profesor Dr. Rasid Mail; Timbalan Naib Canselor (Penyelidikan dan Inovasi), Profesor Ir. Dr. Rosalam Sarbatly; Timbalan Naib Canselor (Hal Ehwal Pelajar dan Alumni), Profesor Madya Dr Raman Noordin; Pendaftar UMS, Luqman Ridha Anwar; Bendahari UMS, Badrul Hisham Ismail; Ketua Pustakawan UMS, Md Sazali Md Salleh; dan Pengarah Pusat Pengantarabangsaan dan Penglibatan Global UMS, Prof. Madya Dr Wardatul Akmam Din