Research and Innovation

Eggplant planting using fertigation technology in UMP campus

In a move to fully utilise unused area in campus, UMP Technology Sdn. Bhd. (UMPT) which is wholly-owned by UMP Holdings Sdn. Bhd. and tasked to promote commercialisation activities of UMP products, has successfully cultivated eggplant using the fertigation technology at the university’s Gambang campus.

Research and planning on the project commenced middle of last year while work on the farming site and other related activities began in January this year following approval from the management and UMP Holdings Sdn. Bhd. 

According to UMPT General Manager, Dr. Nur Aainaa Syafini Mohd Radzi, the site covered an area of 3.86 acres and planted with 15,000 eggplant trees for commercial purposes while another 1,000 trees for experimental purposes and technology improvement.

“The eggplants were placed in a nursery for growing before transferred into polybags in March and April. We started harvesting the produce in the middle of May.

“Alhamdulillah, we harvested between 250kg and 350kg every two days. We expect the produce to increase between 1.2 tonnes and 1.5 tonnes beginning June and will continue to harvest the produce until November,” she said.

She added that currently, the produce were sold from the farm to wholesalers and nearby supermarkets at RM6 per kg.

Dr. Nur Aainaa Syafini said the fertigation technology was not new for UMP as the university had carried out several farming projects using the technology for research purposes at the UMP Model Farm and community activities to help improve the locals’ earnings through the Facelift D’Kuala programme in Kuala Pahang.

“Based on the potentials in using this system especially the lucrative returns, which is three to four times higher as compared to the conventional farming method, has attracted the attention of many parties to use the technique for commercial ventures.

“This will also open the door for UMP other products to be commercially produced.

“Fertigation is a farming technique that maximises the produce through controlled application of water and fertiliser.

“This application will ensure that adverse impacts from the use of fertiliser to the root, soil and underground water can be avoided. When the fertigation technique is applied, it involves substrate and media such as coconut husks and rice husk ash,” she said.

She also said farming could be done without the use of fertile soil and can be carried out in urban area or places where land were scarce, adding, it could help increase produce and prevent soil-borne diseases.

“Apart from helping to churn money for the company, this pilot project had its own advantages because it was located inside campus area,” she added.

She hoped that the project would pave the way for other UMP agriculture-based products be commercially made and produced in a big scale for the open market.

“We hope that we are able to expand farming activities using the fertigation technology so UMPT can be one the major vegetable producers in Pahang.

“At the same time, the project will provide job opportunities to UMP students and the locals to boost their income,” she said.

UMPT is now in the process of identifying areas near the campus that could be leased by the company for a certain period of time as well as to obtain suitable land for expansion purposes using the fertigation technology.

Throughout the implementation of the project, UMPT consulted the Department of Agriculture and collaborated with Federal Agriculture Marketing Agency (FAMA) for the commercialisation aspect of the produce.

For those who are interested to do their own fertigation farming project, UMPT offers consultation services and training on how to start the project.
 

MyGift

40 UMP undergrads volunteer for Singgah Sahur@KL programme

Universiti Malaysia Pahang’s (UMP) MyGift squad, comprising 40 undergraduates, recently took to the streets and participated in the renowned Singgah Sahur programme in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur on May 14, 2019.

The Singgah Sahur@KL programme is one of MyGift’s community service campus activities.

The activity, which began at midnight until 3am, saw volunteers from the squad handing out 600 food packs to the civil servants – some of whom were manning the Dang Wangi district police station (IPD) and the Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS), or integrated south-bound bus terminal – as well as to the general public and homeless individuals.

At the Dang Wangi IPD, MyGift squad was welcomed by the personnel on duty, Inspector Baalanagan Chandran and Inspector Sarawanan Panrengam, who were both criminal investigation officers. 

Accompanying the volunteers at the programme was Petronas ICT Sdn. Bhd. Chief Operation Officer (COO), Izwan Hasli Ibrahim – who is also UMP MyGift trustee. 
 
According to Izwan, such programme lends exposure to the volunteering undergraduates, as they learn to appreciate the earnest hardwork carried out by the police personnel on night duty throughout the fasting month of Ramadan.

“Their presence and contributions brought cheers to those at the IPD,” he said, adding that he had also realized that some of the volunteers, who came from the B40 family group, are beneficiaries of the MyGift initiative. 

“To the students, such programme helped highlight the plight of the homeless individuals and what civil servants on night shift work-hours had to go through, during which time many of us may be comfortably sleeping at home or having pre-dawn meals with our families,” Izwan pointed out.

Meanwhile, MyGift Programme Director, Najihan Zanian, who hails from the Faculty of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering (FKMP), said he was proud of the commitment showed by the undergraduates – who had sacrificed their precious time, especially during a pre-examination study week – to volunteer for the Singgah Sahur@KL programme.
  
Najihan said among the activities the volunteers undertook during their visit to Kuala Lumpur that night were handing out personal hygiene kits to the homeless individuals and cleaning up of the area where the latter are seen putting up, including the one near the National Mosque.

“Another interesting activity was the distribution of pre-dawn, or sahur, meals together with the personnel on duty at the ticketing counters at TBS,” he said.

Accompanying the volunteers during the distribution was Maju TMAS Sdn. Bhd. Manager, Khairos Ishak, who also took the squad on a tour around the bus terminal. 

Students’ Activities

Ramadan excursion to Palu evokes sense of humility

An excursion during the recent fasting month of Ramadan to the district of Palu in the centre of Sulawesi, Indonesia, evoked a sense of humility among volunteers from Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), who personally experienced self-effacement when they extended a helping hand to the victims of last September’s double catastrophe of earthquake and tsunami.

Accompanied by the Senior Executive from the Department of Student Affairs & Alumni (JHEPA), Abdul Rahman Ahmad, undergraduates Ezwan Shah Mohd Nordin, Nurul Waheeda Abdul Rahman, Nor Adzwa Rosli, Muhammad Zulhazmi Zakaria and Nurdiana Wirman undertook the trip to Palu on May 16, 2019, just 11 days into the fasting month.

The humanitarian mission was organized by Yayasan Dana Kebajikan Muslim Malaysia (YDKMM), or loosely translated as the Foundation of Malaysian-Muslims Welfare Fund, in collaboration with UMP student-consumers’ movement, Gerakan Pengguna Siswa (GPS); Faculty of Chemical Engineering Students Association (CHEST); Ibsan Foundation; and Bernama News Channel (BNC), along with Youth of Strength & Happiness (YOSH) icons, Ardell Aryana and Nadzmi Adhwa. 

According to the Mission Director, Ezwan Shah, who is also the executive committee for Community Services & Volunteerism of the university’s Students Council, about 16 volunteers in total were involved in the humanitarian mission, to help channel funds and assistance to the earthquake and tsunami victims, especially those living in the critical red zones of Balaroa, Talise Beach, Petobo, and Jono Oge and Sibalaya villages. 

“Upon arrival at our destinations, our Malaysian volunteers were aided by fellow volunteers from Relawan Nusantara Palu. Among the contributions delivered to the victims were prayer paraphernalia like women’s praying veils, prayer mats and the holy books of al-Quran,” said Ezwan Shah, adding that the items were handed to the community at Desa Bangga, Dusun 2 in Sigi, who suffered badly as a result of the earthquake.

“Stationeries collected from donors at UMP, such as books, pencils, pencil boxes and the likes, were given to the school-going children there,” he highlighted.
 
Aside from that, Ezwan Shah said, volunteers also brought along basic living necessities like bags of cooking oil, rice, sugar, salt and the likes, and handed them to the communities of Desa Bangga, Lero Ngapa, Desa Lero and Darul Tauhid, for use at their temporary communal kitchen, called 'Sembako'.

As for their temporary shelters, or popularly known as 'Huntara', the folks of Desa Lero and Darul Tauhid had built them on hill slopes, far away from the sea shores, as unlike those at Desa Bangga, they had suffered the subsequent onslaught of tsunami after the earthquake struck.

In addition to the handing over of donations and contributions, Malaysian and Indonesian volunteers alike relished the opportunity to get acquainted during the humanitarian mission, and together, mingled with the village folks and their children, vide a number of organized programmes.

According to Nurul Waheeda, aside from holding congregated iftar, or breaking of fast with the communities during their short stay there, UMP volunteers and Relawan Nusantara Palu collaborated in getting the children to participate in several co-curricular activities, like colouring, learning English and other academic undertakings using appropriate modules, as the children had been left behind in their regular schooling.  

Meanwhile, Nor Adzwa said her team of volunteers took on a different role and focused on coordinating a number of trauma-healing activities for the school-going children of Desa Bangga, to help the latter deal with the aftermath reality and overcome their traumatic experience. 

“It was in plain view how delighted the children were to see our Malaysian volunteers. And it’s really amazing to see their uncurbed enthusiasm to continue with learning, despite the hardships they have to put up with, and what little they have after the earthquake,” she said admiringly.

For Muhammad Zulhazmi and Nurdiana, the two were grateful that they were selected, out of the 16, to join the mission. 

“We believe such mission helps instill selfless trait in the volunteers and drive us to reflect more on how omnipotent Allah SWT is. 

“It is truly admirable and yet, heart-wrenching to see how patient these folks are, faced with double calamities and having to endure fasting for the whole month of Ramadan in such dire conditions,” he said. 

At the conclusion of the excursion, and on behalf of the team, Ezwan Shah extended their gratitude to the university’s management, especially to JHEPA and the various faculties for their contributions in making the Ramadan humanitarian mission to Palu a success.

“One thing is certain, this mission will leave a lasting footprint in the minds and hearts of the volunteers, to the day we graduate,” he said. 

Student Activities

UMP’s IPS and Postgraduate Association brought cheers to orphans at Hembusan Kasih Sayang Care Centre

Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP)’s Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS) and Postgraduate Association organised a Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration that brought cheers to 60 children at the Hembusan Kasih Sayang Care Centre in Taman Guru here.

The event was held on May 30, 2019 and was organised under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme.

They contributed essential items, food and raya pocket money to the children, comprising orphans and those from poor background.

Programme Director, Helmi Mohamed Isa said they got to mingle with the children and celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

“The CSR programme can help instil compassion and make them feel more appreciative towards the less privileged.

“IPS will continue to organise programmes such as this in the future,” he said.

The centre’s principal Mohd Uqbah said the place was home for 29 boys and 31 girls and that four houses were rented to accommodate all of them.

He welcomed contributions from the public to help ease their financial burden and help the children lived more comfortably.

For those who wish to contribute, they can contact Ustaz Uqbah at 019-517 3072 or Puan Nazihah at 019-262 5313.

Campus Info

Ziarah Prihatin Ramadan: UMP Alumni extends help, brings cheers to Asnaf

By: JUNAIDI ZAKARIA, VICE-PRESIDENT of UMP ALUMNI FACULTY OF CHEMICAL & NATURAL RESOURCES ENGINEERING

In view of the festive celebration of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, and coupled with concerns about the plight of a number of afflicted families in the vicinity of Kuantan, Pahang, the Graduates Association at Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), or fondly referred to as UMP Alumni, conducted a Ziarah Prihatin Ramadan programme to extend a helping hand and bring cheers and joy to the needy. 

Held over the weekend of May 18, 2019, the Ziarah Prihatin Ramadan was also a coordinated effort with the Department of Student Affairs & Alumni (JHEPA), Yayasan Ikram, I-Bantu Pahang, Ikram Kuantan, Gema Pahang, Hidayah Centre Pahang, Ikram Muda Pahang and the office of Kuantan’s Member of Parliament.

Converging at the UMP Mosque that Saturday, the programme saw 50 volunteers – comprising UMP alumni, staff and undergraduates as well as several representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGO) – gathered at 9am before Programme Director, Mohd Najib Razali kicked it off with a briefing of the day’s agenda.
 

According to Mohd Najib, who is also Deputy President of UMP Alumni and a lecturer at the university, this year’s programme is a marked improvement from previous years’, and this is reflected in the higher number of Asnaf recipients – or categories of individuals qualified for public welfare and assistance.

About 80 selected Asnaf families around Kuantan benefited from the Ziarah Prihatin Ramadan programme, where volunteers made their rounds in groups of convoy to visit and distribute packs of food and cash donations.

“Doing our bid for the society, these selected Asnaf families not only get assistance during the fasting month of Ramadan, but also throughout the year to help them cope with the daily cost of living. And at UMP Alumni, we also continue to draw up more charity programmes,” expressed Mohd Najib.

“In fact, following this Ziarah Prihatin Ramadan, UMP Alumni will continue with the next edition of seasonal charitable activities like Ziarah Prihatin Aidilfitri, Baju Raya Project, Ziarah Prihatin Aidiladha and Back to School uniform distributions,” he emphasized.
 
Mohd Najib said the Alumni was impressed with and truly appreciated the commitment showed by everyone involved, including the NGOs and individual contributors, in making the annual programme a success.

From the eyes of volunteer Afiqah Yeop – who is an undergraduate studying at the Faculty of Chemical & Natural Resources Engineering (FKKSA) – such programme conducted during the holy month of fasting helps inject a sense of appreciation and gratitude in the hearts of the volunteers, to comprehend what it is like for poverty stricken families have to make do just to get through their daily lives. 

“It certainly is heartening that we can help lighten their burden and bring cheers to their lives with our contributions,” Afiqah said, adding that “the programme has given me strength to continue participating in many more community services to help the needy”.

Meanwhile, Asnaf recipient Suhaimi Deraman, who hailed from Kampung Tanjung Api in Kuantan, said he felt blessed having benefited from such programme, and the donations received will certainly ease up his responsibility of preparing the family for the festive celebration.

“It is extremely difficult for me to bear and shoulder the cost of raising eight children, without a full-time permanent employment, and depending only on a meagre pay of RM700 from doing odd jobs,” lamented Suhaimi.

Concurrently, that weekend also saw UMP Alumni holding the Singgah Sahur programme when they visited and contributed to the orphans at the Rumah Anak Yatim & Miskin Nur Iman in Kempadang. 

Twenty volunteers – comprising UMP alumni and undergraduates as well as representatives from NGO Ikram Muda Pahang – brought cheers and joy to 40 children and staff at the orphanage. 

Towards the evening, UMP held a congregation of breaking of fast, dubbed Majlis Iftar Perdana and handed out food packs as well as Aidilfitri cash contribution to 20 Asnaf individuals at the Kampung Jaya Gading Mosque. 

Present at the event were the Chairman of the Village Community Management, Azmi Muhammad, and the mosque congregations.