AIMST SPEARHEADING BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH

THE Malaysian Government is committed towards the development of the biotech industry and development of human resources.
Biotechnology has been identified as an engine of growth to help the nation achieve developed nation status by 2020.
AIMST University is well aware of the importance of biotech industry development in Malaysia and the region.
In line with current trends, it is working to enhance the strength of its biotechnology department.
The Department of Biotechnology, which comes under Faculty of Applied Sciences, offers BSc (Hons) in Biotechnology and MSc in Biotechnology.


Last year, it began the PhD programme in biotechnology. To attract students, AIMST University is offering a new fee structure. For both the MSc and PhD programme, the tuition fees per semester is RM2,750 (excluding other basic fees). Currently, 200 students are studying for their BSc and 10 for the MSc.
Research focuses on rapid molecular diagnostics, biosensors, molecular microbiology, in vitro conservation, abiotic stress in plants, leech biology and molecular identification, tissue and cell culture, bioprocess technology, plant genetic transformation, fish breeding for propagation and conservation, nutritional requirements of fishes, medicinal plants and bioprospecting, bioinformatics, and plastic and oil degrading consortia of microorganisms.
The university established an "Advanced Molecular Biology Laboratory" (AMBL) at a cost of RM6 million recently. AMBL has the latest infrastructure facilities with high-end equipment to carry out research in biotechnology.
Recent achievements include isolation of the thermophilic bacteria from hot springs. This is promising research for production of industrially important enzymes.

In order to foster biotechnology towards a sustainable environment, AIMST has also isolated plastic and oil degrading bacterial strains and also obtained value-added products such as cystine aminoacids from chicken feather waste.

The university is making sure faculty staff are world class to maintain the quality of students and capability to undertake research.
For example, the faculty includes well-known scientists like Prof M. Ravichandran, who is internationally known for his contribution in the areas of the cholera vaccine, genetic engineering and gene mutation in bacteria, simple cold chain free molecular diagnostics and electrochemical biosensors, and Prof P. Kangueane, who is specialised in bioinformatics and is the founder of the Bioinformation journal.
Collaboration and smart partnerships are always important to achieve goals. AIMST University has signed several memorandums of understanding with biotech companies and other universities.
The Biotech companies include INFOVALLEYTM Group of Companies, Olipro Biotechnology Sdn Bhd, Hirudogenesis Biotechnology Sdn Bhd, Clarias Sdn Bhd and Tentacle Technologies (MSC) Sdn Bhd. Malaysia's apex university, Universiti Sains Malaysia, is also among one of the smart collaborators.
By realising the strength of the Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and AIMST University as a whole, Kedah has appointed AIMST University as a lead consultant to complete the task of "Biotechnology roadmap development for Kedah". The technology roadmap drafted will be launched by Kedah state government today.
AISMT University is focused on spearheading the development of biotechnology in the northern corridor of Malaysia.

- New Strait Times, by by ProQuest Information and Learning Company -
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OPEN UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA STRIKES RIGHT CHORD IN DISTANCE LEARNING

ENCOURAGING lifelong learning, which is one of the strategic thrusts outlined in the National Higher Education Strategic Plan, is aimed at creating a knowledgeable workforce that will help transform the country into a developed nation by 2020.
Malaysians need to equip themselves with the necessary knowledge, skills and competencies to face future challenges and current demands.
In light of this, efforts are being carried out to increase provisions of lifelong learning programmes and opportunities through institutions of higher learning, community colleges and learning centres throughout the country.



As the country's leading open and distance learning institution, Open University Malaysia (OUM) is at the forefront of lifelong learning by providing Malaysians a second chance in pursuing higher education, either for personal gratification or to attain better academic qualification.
By leveraging on technology, OUM is able to provide quality teaching and learning.
Head of e-Learning, OUM's Institute for Teaching and Learning Advancement, Assoc Prof Dr Safiah Md Yusof, says that since the bulk of learners are working adults who are not able to attend classes in the conventional sense, they are exposed to the blended mode of learning which relies heavily on self-managed learning.
"They meet with tutors for face-to-face tutorials several times throughout the semester and they also have the benefit of learning from their peers and e-tutors through the online forums."

Aside from developing and using its own learning management system, known as myVLE (my Virtual Learning Environment), the university is constantly raising the bar and improving on its e- learning practices to better support its learners.
The university's digital library boasts of an extensive digital collection of e-books and e-journals which learners can have access to, irrespective of their location.
The introduction of e-schedules, on the other hand, helps guide learners with their activities. E-schedules are weekly outlines of the activities expected of the learners which include readings, online activities and topics for online forum discussions.
Dr Safiah says learners also benefit from the university's online learning resources, such as the Math Resource Centre (MRC), e-Gate (Gateway for learning English), and Open Educational Resources (OER). Learners can access the resources anytime they are online.
OUM's efforts in promoting lifelong learning in this country are well-acknowledged.
The university is privileged to co-organise the forthcoming International Conference of Lifelong Learning (ICLLL2011) together with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and the Ministry of Higher Education.
Dr Safiah, who is also the Conference Committee in charge of Posters, says the conference is an excellent platform for experts, researchers, academics, practitioners, policymakers and lifelong learners to share their perspectives, experiences, research findings, and to discuss current issues and challenges pertaining to lifelong learning.

The conference, to be held at the Seri Pacific Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, from Nov 14 to 15, welcomes participants, both locally and abroad.

- New Strait Times, by ProQuest Information and Learning Company -
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UNIMAS UPGRADES ITS INTERNET ACCESS CAPACITY

THE increased application of information communications technology is one of the cornerstones of the Educational Development Masterplan 2006-2010 under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.
In line with this, Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) has signed an agreement with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) to implement a major upgrade of UNIMAS' Internet leased line capacity from the current 8Mbps to 34Mbps by June 1.
This increase in Internet access capacity will meet the administration, study and research requirements of 7,500 UNIMAS students and staff.
TM has been the primary Internet connectivity provider to UNIMAS since 2003, and currently provides its tmnet direct solution to UNIMAS via a dedicated link.





UNIMAS was TM's first tmnet direct customer among institutions of higher learning in the country.
Founded in 1992, UNIMAS is the eighth public university in Malaysia and the first in Sarawak. It currently hosts 19 faculties, institutes and centres in a wide variety of study and research areas, including computer science and information technology, resource science and technology, as well as biodiversity and environmental conservation.

- New Strait Times,  by ProQuest Information and Learning Company -
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INTI's HOLISTIC BIOTECH PROGRAMME POPULAR

HUMAN blood proteins derived from plants. Spinal cord regeneration to cure paralysis. Stress-tolerant and higher yielding food crops. These are some of the marvels of biotechnology that may revolutionise biological sciences.
Biotechnology has been identified as a new engine of growth for the Malaysian economy. It is estimated that by 2020, this sector would create 280,000 jobs and generate US$75 billion (RM240 billion) in revenue.
A good place to start would be INTI International University's homegrown Bachelor of Biotechnology (Hons) programme that offers a holistic approach to learning, capped with a four-month internship with biotechnology and molecular biosciences companies.

Incorporated in the programme is sound training in the core molecular biosciences (biochemistry, genetics, microbiology, molecular biology and immunology), leading to the different areas of biotechnology.
Embedded within the programme are Soft Skills courses including Entrepreneurship, Personal Financial Planning Skills, Critical Thinking Skills and Employability Skills, and a Communicative Foreign Language course in Japanese, French or German.
Students who wish to acquire a degree from INTI's reputable partner universities overseas can choose to pursue one or two years of studies at INTI before transferring to top universities in Australia, New Zealand or the United Kingdom such as The University of Queensland, The University of New South Wales, The University of Adelaide, Massey University, The University of Southampton, Newcastle University and more.
INTI's Australian Degree Transfer Programme (Science) offers the most number of degrees and majors in biotechnology and life sciences under a single programme.

"I enjoyed my classes and laboratory sessions at INTI," said Choo Foong Lin, who graduated with First Class Honours degree in Biotechnology last year from The University of New South Wales.
"My lecturer was patient in explaining every aspect of the experiments and I had fun working with different bacterial cultures and carrying out various tests which made the lessons all the more interesting."
Alvin Teo Chen Kuang, who graduated from Northumbria University in 2008, had an equally enjoyable time at INTI.
"I really cherished my time at INTI, where we were given substantial laboratory practical training and elemental teaching of the life sciences core subjects. My UK lecturers were quite amazed with us INTI students as we actually out-performed the local students in several classes, especially in Genetics.
"Our INTI lecturers were very helpful and the structure of the Australian Degree Transfer Programme was very well organised," he said.
Moderated by The University of Adelaide, one of Australia's Group of Eight universities, the Australian Degree Transfer Programme (Science) introduces the basic sciences in chemistry and molecular and cell biology in Year 1, along with courses in mathematics, management and computing.
Upon this foundation, students proceed to Year 2 courses in biochemistry, genetics, microbiology and immunology or biotechnology, which are the cornerstone courses in biotechnology, molecular biosciences and biomedical sciences.
INTI International University is a member of the INTI Education Group, which in turn is a part of Laureate International Universities - the world's largest private education network.

- Malaysian Business Magazines, by ProQuest Information and Learning Company -
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UTHM EXPANDS NETWORK

IN A MOVE TO CONSOLIDATE operations and lower networking costs, Johor- based Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) has recently chosen 3Com's H3C S12500 data centre switching platform and Intelligent Management Center (IMC) to form the backbone of its next generation network infrastructure project.
The S12500 platform provides UTHM with unmatched price/ performance advantages, advanced services, higher port density and superior power consumption compared to competing products.
The new H3C S12500 high-end data centre core switch is built on a modern system architecture that delivers 2.2 billion packets per second (Bpps) of forwarding through a 6.6 Terabits per second (Tbps) non-blocking fabric, with up to 128 non-blocking 10-Gigabit or 864 non-blocking Gigabit Ethernet ports.
With the S12500 data center platform, UTHM will also enjoy up to 60 % less power consumption than competing products as certified by independent test services provider Miercom.
To manage and control the entire H3C data centre switching platform via a single pane of glass, UTHM will also implement the H3C IMC Enterprise Edition, 3Com's next-generation enterprise-class management platform.
`Extensive use of open standards and unified switching architecture means UTHM's platform can be extended to leverage next- generation technology support and easily design future-oriented applications, while providing investment protection for critical initiatives such as virtualisation and cloud computing,' says Marcus Lai, country manager, 3Com Malaysia.

- Malaysian Business Magazinez, by Mior Azhar -
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KLMU STUDENT GET FREE NOTEBOOKS

IT pays to work hard. Some 170 students from Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University College (KLMU) were recently rewarded with free laptops for being model students.
These full-time students, who are in their second semester, received a Hewlett Packard/Compaq notebook worth RM3,000 each.
"To get the free notebook, students must have above average grades," says KLMU president Datuk Idrus Mohd Satha.
KLMU has given away 4,500 notebooks to its students from 13 branch campuses as part of its corporate social responsibility programme over the years.
KLMU was established in 2006 and is part of the Cosmopoint Group of Companies, which has 13 branches in Malaysia.

- New Strait Times, by Subashini Selvaratnam -
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BIG PLAYERS KEEP NILAI UNIVERSITY COLLEGE UP TO DATE

NILAI University College's School of Science and Technology offers a variety of programmes to entice the inquisitive and analytically-minded.
Nilai UC has been in operation since 1998 and has striven to attract experienced lecturers in order to fulfil its promise of a quality education.
Its School of Science and Technology has a dedicated block complete with laboratories and workshops. The Diploma in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering continues to set new standards and Nilai UC is already acknowledged as a market leader in this field.
Other programmes in the School include Bachelor of Computer Science (Hons); Bachelor of Information Technology (Hons); BSc (Hons) Biotechnology; Diploma in Business Information Technology; Diploma in Computer Science; Diploma in Electrical & Electronic Engineering; Diploma in Mechanical Engineering; Diploma in Mechanical Engineering (Automotive); Diploma in Mechatronics Engineering; Diploma in Biotechnology; BSc (Hons) in Electrical & Electronic Engineering; BSc (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering and BSc (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering (Automotive).
The latest addition to its academic staff is Dr Cheun Boon Song who has been appointed Dean of Nilai UC School of Science and Technology. Dr Cheun holds a PhD in Fluid Mechanics and has had two decade's worth of experience.
Dr Cheun joined Nilai UC's School of Science and Technology as he was very impressed with the array of programmes on offer.
"Each of the programmes has dedicated facilities and the administrators are serious about ensuring the programmes are relevant. For instance, the Biotechnology department has an Industry Advisory Panel consisting of representatives from some of the field's biggest players (such as InnoBio). They help ensure the syllabus is up-to-date and students are getting the right information and will enter the workforce fully prepared," he said.
He said the Diploma in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering, which is offered by the school, was one that excited him the most, as few institutions would build a hangar and have its own aircraft for its students to work on.
"One reason for this programme's success is that applicants and their parents can see the tangible efforts put into building the facilities. The European Aviation Safety Agency B1-1 licence is also a very enticing factor as it is an internationally-recognised qualification," he added.
"Of course, as a mechanical engineer myself, I must say I am very excited by the engineering degrees being offered at Nilai UC. I am a firm believer that engineers will always be in demand so long as society continues to evolve technologically. I can confidently say qualified and skilled engineers will be very much in demand for the foreseeable future," he said.
Nilai UC is located in the picturesque suburb of Putra Nilai.

- New Strait Times, by ProQuest Information and Learning Company -
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LIMKOKWING AT CUTTING EDGE OF INNOVATION

SINCE its inception in 1991, the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology has always taken the lead in offering innovative programmes to prepare young people for brand new careers resulting from the explosion of the Digital Age.

Acknowledged as one of the world's most creative and innovative universities, LUCT is the perfect place to hone this new type of talent which is highly sought after by the world's top companies and industries.

The university, while sustaining the rigorous academic requirements for the granting of qualifications, has taken learning to new levels.

Here, students are encouraged to explore and develop latent talent in the hope of triggering their passion in new and relevant fields of study.

Learning is not just about the field of study, but about building character, self-confidence and a global mindset.

Student activities - ranging from organising charity concerts, to talent competitions and fashion shows - are just part of the many channels in which students from all faculties get to explore their hidden talents beyond just their area of study.

The experience gained working on such projects, such as leadership, teamwork, problem solving, project management, etc, prepare them with real-life skills after graduation.

Today, LUCT degrees and diplomas are delivered in 20 countries and its global network of 282 university partners covers 77 countries worldwide. The official website alone receives 220 million hits from 190 countries, a feat unmatched by other institutions.

There are some 30,000 students coming from more than 150 countries, studying in 12 campuses in Botswana, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lesotho, Malaysia and United Kingdom.

The Limkokwing campus in Cyberjaya is home to 9,000 students from nearly 145 countries. Its multicultural environment enables both local and foreign students to interact and soak up varied cultures.

The university has established worldwide recognition through its innovative brand of creative education merging the best of east and west education.

Wherever they are located in the world, they are acknowledged for their role as the groundbreaking driver of innovation, with the most tech-savvy, most inspired and most talented students.

Through six faculties - Design Innovation, Multimedia Creativity, Communication, Media & Broadcasting, Information Technology & Computing, Business Management & Globalisation and Architecture & Built Environment - the university runs an extensive range of programmes.

The Executive Leadership College also offers specially tailored courses in leadership, entrepreneurship, finance and information technology.

Among the programmes are professional design, web, music, fashion, publishing, architecture, business and public relations.

- New Strait Times, by ProQuest Information and Learning Company  -

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AIR ASIA AND SCICOM ESTABLISH WORLD-CLASS CONTACT CENTRE

AirAsia Bhd together with Scicom (MSC) Bhd have established Asian Contact Centre Sdn Bhd to serve the low-cost carrier's customers from around the world.

AirAsia's group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes said the airline was looking to provide better quality services through the world-class contact centre set up under the collaboration.

"We are looking at solutions rather than avoiding complaints. The establishment of the contact centre, we believe, is another step towards providing quality services," he told reporters at the launch of Asian Contact Centre here today.

"For the past two weeks, I have not received any complaint and services are improving," he said.

Also present at the launch was Scicom's chief executive officer Leo Ariyanayakam.

The contact centre, an equal-partnership joint venture company that started operations on Feb 16 this year, is aimed at meeting customers' expectations and ensure that their booking needs and enquiries are handled efficiently.

Currently, it serves AirAsia's customers from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Australia and the United Kingdom.

Operations will soon expand to serve customers in Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, the Middle East and India, AirAsia said.

Asked about the impact of the Thai political crisis on the airline, Fernandes said business was still strong and AirAsia's load factor to Bangkok was 74 percent yesterday.

"I think Southeast Asia is very resilient. There are a lot of opportunities and demand. People still want to fly. The other Thai destinations are also unaffected, and Thailand is an unique place," he said.
- Bernama News, by Faizolhardi Zubairy -
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ITS GOT TO BE HABHAL'S FOR FLAVOUR AND TASTE

SOYA sauce, kicap, tau you. Whatever name you call it, it is without doubt one of the most popular food components in Malaysian cuisine.

The management team behind the production, marketing and distribution of Habhal’s and Zara Foodstuff Industries products.

A technician making sure the production line runs smoothly.

Workers stacking the batches of bottled Habhal’s Kicap Cap Kipas Udang forfpr distribution to various retailers and vendors nationwide.

The humble black liquid is actually a complex fermented product made from soya beans.

The Chinese and Japanese have used soya sauce for thousands of years as a flavouring condiment and also as a dipping sauce for their food.

In Malaysia, it is also used for similar purposes. However, families here typicaly use a brand their respective families have used over the years. This is usually a tried and trusted method.
One of the more established brands here is the well-known Habhal's Kicap Cap Kipas Udang soy sauce.

Habhal is a premium soya sauce maker. It is part of Zara Foodstuff Industries Sdn Bhd and is considered a household name in many Malay homes and food outlets.

The Johor-based company makes its famed red (for sweet) and green (for salty) soya sauces from premium-grade Canadian beans, brewing them according to strict quality methods.

Like most basic soya sauce recipes, Habhal's soya sauces include a reasonable amount of wheat, caramelised sugar or just caramel colouring and salt. Habhal only specialises in the salty and sweet dark varieties.

Zara Foodstuff Industries quality assurance manager Mohd Nazri Ismail said making soya sauce was not an easy process as it is a fermented product.

"It is made of soyabeans, roasted wheat, and an inoculated mold. After the inoculation, the soya sauce sits for three days until the culture develops.

"After that, the liquid mash, as it is now called, is put into fermentation tanks for several months.

"Before bottling, the liquid is filtered by pressing the solids out," he explained during a recent visit to their factory in Jalan Langkasuka in the Larkin Industrial Area in Johor.

The entire operation, done with great care, is overseen by Nazri who underwent specialised training in food science and technology.

Habhal's soya sauce products are made from genetically modified organism (GMO)-free Canadian soya beans, wheat, water, salt, and sugar.

After grinding the soya beans, the mixture sits for two or three days and is then inoculated with carefully selected mold. Here is where colour, flavour, and aroma really begin to develop.

It is then allowed to ferment with added brine; that is where the salt comes in. The mixture then sits in large fibreglass tanks with sugar, for several months.

When the fermentation is complete and the colour appropriate, the workers press out the solids and filter out the raw soya sauce.

After this, the workers pasteurise the soya sauce to destroy any pathogenic bacteria. It is then packaged in the bottling production line after their laboratory does all the necessary tests.

ZFI Marketing Sdn Bhd senior sales and marketing manager Hasnah Abdul Rahman, who represents the marketing and distribution arm, said the company's soya sauces have a massive following in Malaysia. They command about 70 per cent of the market for sweet and salty variants, which are commonly used in Malay dishes.

"Our soya sauces still maintain theirtraditional taste as they are specially prepared using time-honoured recipes," she said.

Last year, ZFI Marketing Sdn Bhd recorded RM60 million in sales from its various products, making it one of the major players in the Malaysian-owned fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) market.

Habhal's soya sauces are also exported to Singapore and Brunei.

In the United Kingdom and Australia, the sauces can be found in niche shops specialising in Asian cuisine.

-  New Strait Times, by Ben Tan -
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MINISTRY: ICT KEY CONSIDERATION IN EDUCATION OVERHAUL

KUALA LUMPUR: Wider use of information and communication technology (ICT) in the classroom will be a major consideration when the Government revamps the national education system.

“We do not want our students to be left behind.

“The use of ICT is crucial in our efforts to become a knowledge-based society and high-income nation,” said Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi.

Other issues to be studied under the proposed review include the quality of teachers and early childhood education, he said after presenting prizes to the winners of the Malaysian National Band Compe­tition (Natcomp) 2011 at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil here on Sunday evening.

Dr Mohd Puad said experts from the public and private sectors were providing input for the review.

Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had said earlier that the ministry was preparing a report on the proposed review, which was aimed at improving the quality of national education.

Education director-general Datuk Abd Ghafar Mahmud is heading the team that is preparing the report, which is expected to be submitted to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and the Cabinet for approval by the year’s end.

On another matter, Dr Mohd Puad urged non-governmental organisations and the private sector to play a more active role in supporting students’ co-curricular activities.

Citing school bands as an example, he said NGOs such as the Malaysian Band Association could provide technical support for students to set up bands in their schools.

“The coaching that students receive from external instructors can help their schools perform well in competitions,” said Dr Mohd Puad, adding that the NGOs and the private sector could also help to fund school clubs and societies.

Meanwhile, SMK Sultanah Asma school band from Kedah emerged the champion to win the Natcomp 2011 title.

The second and third places went to St John’s Institution, Kuala Lumpur, and Kolej Sultan Abdul Hamid, Kedah.

- The Star, by Kang Soon Chen -
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