By Asmahanim Amir
Pix Abdul Raai Osman

BANGI, 13 Oct 2015 – A first-year student from Faculty of Health Sciences (FSK) at  the National University of Malaysia (UKM) and a lecturer of the University Image Centre have won top prizes for the Ideas Challenge and Innovation Day 2015 held at Bangi Campus on Sept 22.

Maznah Ibrahim, a lecturer at the University Image Centre defeated 10 other candidates after her Service Learning idea highlighting the innovative use of waste material,  captivated the jurors.

She said Service Learning is reducing  and recycling waste materials such as water bottles that can be turned into pencil sharpeners, or bunting and banners that can be refashioned into bags.

“In campus, we have many programmes which uses buntings banners. Such materials will not be used again after the programme ends. So in order to reduce the wastage, my students had taken the banners and buntings and turned them into multi-purpose purses.

“Besides the buntings and banners, other items that can be recycled will be used again. We will share this idea with associations of single mothers, so that they can generate income through the production of recycled products,” she explained after the UKM Ideas Challenge prize-giving ceremony, here recently.

She said she chose the recycle theme because UKM is becoming a green campus.

She added that the idea will benefit UKM such as raising the profile of the  University Image Centre because it teaches soft skills and encourages innovation.

“Besides that, we also want to highlight UKM as a university for the community. Although we are research university, we also need to be close with the community.

“With this victory, I think that I have contributed towards just that,” she remarked.

Meanwhile, first year FSK student, Siti Masturah Zahari said her project titled Food Waste Generates Profits was the original idea of her mentor, Assoc Prof Dr Chan Kok Meng.

This innovation is to convert  food waste into compost fertilizer.

“This idea was chosen because it is easy to do able to generate profits for UKM. So, we see this is an advantage to all parties.

“The advantage of this innovation is the University no longer has to buy fertilizers because we have and produce our own fertilizer that can be applied to the landscape. So in the meantime, we can expand this project and create more fertiliser and indirectly generates income for UKM,” she said.

Her mentor said they will use a grant amounting to RM3,000 for producing small projects at the Health Campus in Kuala Lumpur.

“So, we will start at Health Campus. When it becomes a success, we will set an example to UKM Bangi and we will apply for another grant for the same project at  Bangi Campus,” he said.

Also present at the ceremony was Deputy Vice Chancellor (Industry and Community Partnership), Prof Imran Ho Abdullah who also officiated the programme.