100 students celebrate World Ozone Day

By: MIMI RABITA ABDUL WAHIT, PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT, THE OFFICE OF THE VICE-CHANCELLOR

Translation by: DR. ROZAIMI ABU SAMAH, ENGINEERING COLLEGE/FACULTY OF   CHEMICAL AND PROCESS ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY

Pekan, 17 September 2020 - More than 100 students of Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) joined the Pahang State Ozone Layer Protection Awareness Programme in conjunction with the World Ozone Day 2020 annually celebrated on 16 September.

The programme was co-organised by the Pahang Department of Environment (DoE) and Alam Flora Sdn. Bhd.

The participants had the opportunity to explore the campus in the Ozone for Life Tour programme through photography competition, plogging, tree planting, lectures, interactive quizzes, collection of used cooking oil and electronic wastes, and free checking of car air conditioner.

The event was officiated by the Director of the Pahang DoE, Haji Mohd Sani Mat Daud.

Also in attendance were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic & International), Professor Ts. Dr. Mohd Rosli Hainin, Deputy Director of Operations of the Pahang DoE, Noor Shahniyati Ahmad Shukri and Manager of Health, Safety and Environment of Alam Flora Sdn. Bhd., Dr. Ramizu Abdul Rahim, Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering Technology (FTKA), Ir. Dr. Fadzil Mat Yahaya and Manager of Pahang Service Area 2 of Alam Flora Sdn. Bhd., Mohd Hadzlin Nadzri.

According to Haji Mohd Sani, UMP involvement can strengthen collaboration networking and increase appreciation towards the environment among lecturers and students who are the country’s next leaders.

“This collaboration also promotes the implementation of self-regulation to prevent environmental pollution in the industry,” he said during the opening ceremony held in the Multipurpose Hall, UMP Pekan.

Meanwhile, Professor Ts. Dr. Mohd Rosli said that UMP also implements the Sustainable Campus initiative.

“It is the policy on the development and management of campus facilities that considers the perspective of the environment system and economy.

“There are seven major initiatives in the Sustainable Campus Plan, namely Sustainable Development and Green Facilities, Saving Energy and Water Resources, Green Campus, Efficient Transportation, Organic, Inorganic, and Scheduled Wastes Management, Sustainable Technology, and Safe Campus,” he said.

“I hope that the organisation of this awareness programme on ozone layer protection makes us better understand the importance of conserving and preserving the ozone layer by adopting a better lifestyle,” he said.

The participants were able to explore the campus beauty and had the opportunity to get information on the species of tropical and rare trees in the campus.

Meanwhile, Rimba Lestari, which spans 26.82 acres, allowed the participants to identify more than 800 forest trees and 1,800 acacia trees.

Among the tropical trees found in Rimba Lestari are tongkat ali, light red (meranti tembaga), Indian almond (ketapang), Malacca teak (merbau), chengal, seashore mangosteen (beruas), jelutong, and others.

Fifty-one kilograms of waste that can be recycled and 98 kg of used cooking oil were collected during the programme to instil the awareness of managing waste that can pollute the environment if not managed properly.