By Shahfizal Musa
Pix Izwan Azman

BANGI, 21 June 2014 – Universities needed to bring benefits to its surrounding communities so as to stay relevant, said the Vice Chancellor of The National University of Malaysia (UKM) Professor Datuk Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali.

Prof Noor Azlan made the remarks after visiting a carnival organised by the Bangi New Township Residents’ Association (BANGIKU) and the Uptown Sports Centre here.

He said UKM can assist in making Bangi an exemplary township in every aspect of life economically, socially or spiritually.

UKM took part in the carnival as part of its UKM4BANGI programme.

Prof Noor Azlan said “we have experts in virtually every area of study and we need to offer our excellent researches for the benefit the township’s community.”

He said a university’s traditional academic role of providing knowledge and doing research goes hand in hand with serving the community. Without research findings and knowledge, a university cannot bring about benefits to the community.

UKM’s participation in the carnival is more extensive as it is also sharing its expertise beyond what is normally expected of a university like providing medical screening, blood pressure measurement, testing blood sugar level and BMI.

Men attending the carnival were even offered sexual health advice and consultations for those above 40 by specialists who are on site.

UKM also provided free legal advice and aid while staff from its Space Science Centre, showed interested teenagers how to overwrite the remote control of a helicopter using a laptop.

BANGIKU President Hj Ahmad Sufie Munasir commended UKM for its willingness to go down to the ground to interact with the people.

He hoped UKM can lend its expertise to overcome pollution in the Langat River to make it into a place fit not only for recreation and picnics but even the holding of water sports in time to come.