Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) spearheads bamboo tissue culture for the use in sustainable construction materials and climate change mitigation through bamboo tissue culture research.

This groundbreaking cultivation technique, led by Associate Professor Dr Wilson Yong from Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI) UMS, has the potential to transform the construction industry and promote environmental conservation.

According to the BRI director, Professor Dr. Lee Ping Chin, UMS has the capacity to produce 5000 tissue culture seedlings per month to meet the growing demand of the plantation industry.

“Dr. Wilson Yong and his dedicated research team have devoted significant efforts to perfecting the cultivation of giant timber bamboo species, notably Dendrocalamus asper (Betung Bamboo) and Gigantochloa levis (Poring Bamboo).

“These bamboo varieties possess exceptional strength, durability, and rapid growth rates, making them ideal candidates for sustainable construction materials and a promising alternative to timber and steel,” she said.

The widespread use of bamboo in the construction industry has the potential to significantly reduce carbon emissions associated with resource-intensive materials while simultaneously contributing to the preservation of forests.

“The Nagao Natural Environment Foundation also provided funding to the research team to identify potential endemic bamboo varieties using DNA barcoding as a foundation for bamboo germplasm conservation and long-term genetic diversity utilization.

“An inherent advantage of bamboo lies in its capacity to sequester carbon dioxide. As bamboo plants grow, they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, acting as natural carbon sinks. Leveraging this unique attribute, the cultivation of bamboo holds immense potential for combatting climate change,” she added.

Meanwhile, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation of UMS, Professor Ir. Dr. Rosalam Sarbatly strongly support the collaborative efforts from all stakeholders and embraces the potential of bamboo tissue culture, realizing its capacity to revolutionize construction practices, combat climate change, and pave the way for a sustainable and prosperous future.

He further said, encouraging local governments to establish bamboo plantations could make substantial contributions to carbon dioxide mitigation efforts while generating valuable carbon credits.

“Such efforts would create a virtuous cycle of sustainable construction, carbon sequestration, and economic opportunities, aligning with international agreements' climate change objectives.

“Driving the transition from research to practical applications, the researchers have forged strong collaborations with local industry players, including Balung Plantation, KB Agro Tech, and Koperasi Wawasan Rakyat Sabah Berhad.

“These collaborations facilitate the seamless translation of research findings into large-scale cultivation and industrial production, making sustainable bamboo materials more accessible and commercially viable,” Rosalam said.

He said this in conjunction with the visit of the Minister of Higher Education, Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin to UMS, recently. The minister emphasized the importance of seedling production, saying that planting the proper and enhanced bamboo species will help the society and the related industry.

Also present were the Deputy Secretary General, Ministry fo Higher Education (MOHE), Dato' Dr. Haji Megat Sany bin Megat Ahmad Supian; Director General of Higher Education, Prof. Dr. Azlinda Azman; Chairman of the UMS Board of Directors, Datuk Seri Panglima Abdul Rahman Dahlan and the Vice Chancellor of UMS, Prof. Datuk Dr. Kasim Hj. Mansor.

RMIT University has chosen Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) for its Study Tour to Borneo 2023 mobility programme this year that ended recently.

This study visit was sponsored by the Australian government under The New Colombo Plan, attracted 50 RMIT students from several disciplines.

The New Colombo Plan is a hallmark programme of the Australian Government that intends to increase knowledge of the Indo-Pacific region in Australia by assisting Australian students to study and intern throughout the region.

According to Centre for Internationalisation and Global Engagement of UMS, the mobility programme comprised a symposium, woodcutting workshop, cultural cookery courses, and an exhibition of student goods started off on May 29 to June 14.

“The itinerary includes a visit to KDCA for the Kaamatan festival as well as a stay at a local guesthouse in Kiulu. The highlight of the journey was a special mobility (academic exchange) programme at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, UMS.

"The Australian students collaborated with first year students from the Sociology and Social Anthropology department who are doing a Religion and Society course,” it said.

The statement further said, the study tour director from RMIT, Associate Professor Dr. Olivia Guntarik, and UMS faculty coordinator Dr. Trixie Tangit have designed the special mobility programme so that both RMIT and UMS students can find ways to incorporate their ideas by taking at least one aspect or element from each other's project.

“These students spend time talking with one another and travelling to places of interest throughout Sabah to expand their knowledge and understanding. Their collaborative endeavours culminated in an exhibition of free form design and posters.

"The exhibition was a major success based on the originality, effort, and learning points that both RMIT and UMS students were able to create in such a short period of time," it added.

UMS students, particularly those nearing the conclusion of their first year, developed by leaps and bounds as they forced themselves to critically think through the principles of their projects.

Meanwhile, RMIT students benefited from the programme as well, as they learned to understand local culture other than their own and used their newfound knowledge on their show.

“RMIT students incorporated local music, artwork, language as well as natural elements such as leaves and flowers to bring their projects to life,” it said.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) meraikan pencapaian para pelajar universiti itu melalui pengiktirafan dalam Majlis Anugerah Hal Ehwal Pelajar dan Alumni (MAHEPA) kali ke-24.

MAHEPA ke-24 menyaksikan 20 anugerah dipertandingkan yang terbahagi 13 anugerah individu dan tujuh anugerah berkumpulan meliputi aspek kepimpinan, kemasyarakatan, sosial, riadah, keusahawanan, inovasi dan kreativiti, kesukarelawan, seni budaya serta pengucapan awam.

Menurut Menteri Pendidikan Tinggi, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, penganjuran majlis anugerah untuk para pelajar adalah penting bagi menanam pemikiran bahawa setiap pencapaian yang baik oleh warga universiti wajar diraikan.

“Kehidupan di universiti adalah satu fasa kritikal. Ia tempoh yang mesti dimanfaatkan dengan sebaiknya. Bukan sahaja dalam konteks akademik, tetapi dari semua dimensi lain yang menyentuh kedewasaan dan kematangan.

“Adalah menjadi tanggungjawab kita untuk menyediakan ruang dan peluang agar generasi muda menjadi matang dan dewasa seiring dengan pembinaan kapasiti intelektual dan kembara ilmu,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika merasmikan MAHEPA ke-24 di Pusat Konvensyen Antarabangsa Sabah, baru-baru ini.

Tambah beliau, Kementerian Pendidikan Tinggi (KPT) sentiasa berusaha untuk memperkasa mahasiswa dalam perlbagai cara, antaranya melalui proses meminda AUKU, membangun ekosistem pro mahasiswa serta program Semarak Siswa Madani.

Sementara itu, Pengerusi Lembaga Pengarah UMS, Datuk Seri Panglima Abdul Rahman Dahlan berkata pandangan mahasiswa amat penting dan perlu dimajukan melalui pelbagai saluran terutama wacana ilmiah.

“Pemimpin mahasiswa yang peka dengan perkembangan semasa di dalam dan luar negara perlu mengambil inisiatif untuk menjana idea dan menasihati pihak berwajib tentang isu kemasyarakatan dan pembangunan serta hala tuju negara.

“Ini memperlihatkan kematangan pemimpin mahasiswa dalam berdepan cabaran semasa. MAHEPA sekali lagi adalah platform yang tepat bagi mengiktiraf sumbangan mahasiswa yang aktif dalam pelbagai bidang yang menyumbang kepada kemakmuran negara,” katanya.

Pada majlis tersebut, pelajar Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan (FSSK), Mohamad Eizlan Dahalan dan Pelajar Fakulti Psikologi dan Pendidikan (FPP), Nur Aishah Rofina Aling masing-masing dinobatkan sebagai Olahragawan dan Olahragawati UMS.

Turut hadir, Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Karambunai, Datuk Yakub Khan; Timbalan Ketua Setiausaha (Dasar) KPT, Dato' Dr. Megat Sany bin Megat Ahmad Supian; Ketua Pengarah Pendidikan Tinggi, Prof. Dr. Azlinda Azman; Naib Canselor UMS, Profesor Datuk Dr. Kasim Hj. Mansor dan Ketua Jabatan Hal Ehwal Pelajar dan Alumni UMS, Mohd. Raffie Janau.

Ceramah profesional “MIA and the Accountancy Profession In Malaysia” anjuran Pusat Perakaunan, Fakulti Perniagaan, Ekonomi dan Perakaunan (FPEP), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) merupakan inisiatif fakulti itu dalam usaha menyediakan bakal graduan bidang perakaunan yang mahir dan bertauliah.

Menurut kenyataan dari Pusat Perakaunan UMS, ceramah tersebut antara lain bertujuan untuk memberikan pendedahan kepada pelajar perakaunan tahun pertama berkaitan profesion perakaunan dan kerjaya dalam bidang perakaunan di Malaysia.

“Ceramah yang disampaikan oleh Ketua Institut Akauntan Malaysia (MIA) Wilayah Sabah, Susan Maiks juga turut memberi pengetahuan tentang bagaimana menjadi seoranga akauntan yang bertauliah.

“Ceramah ini melibatkan penyertaan sejumlah 54 orang pelajar tahun pertama program Perakaunan,” demikian menurut kenyataan tersebut.

Siri ceramah profesional seumpama juga dilaksanakan setiap semester kepada pelajar perakaunan UMS bagi memastikan para pelajar sentiasa mengikuti perkembangan terkini berkenaan badan profesional tersebut selaras dengan pengiktirafan Ijazah Sarjana Muda Perakaunan dengan kepujian oleh MIA.

Turut hadir pada sesi ceramah tersebut Pengarah Pusat Perakaunan UMS, Jainurin Justine @ Abdul Aziz.