FKK Annual Dinner 2008

Dear Students,

The FKK Annual Dinner 2008 shall be held as follows ;

Date : 14th of August 2008
Time : 8.00 pm
Venue : Dewan MBSA Shah Alam
VIP Guests :

1) Y. Bhg. Dato' Seri Naib Chancellor UiTM
2) Y. Bhg. Dato' Bandar Shah Alam

FKK students are cordially invited to the said event. Show your support for the faculty !!

Regards.
ZZ

CPE625 : Environmental Engineering Test 1

Dear Students,

Test 1 for CPE625 shall be held as follows :

Date : 07 August 2008
Time : 4.10 pm - 5.30 pm
Venue : B5-A12-08 (Classroom)

Regards,
ZZ

Industrial Training Presentation Briefing (Jan - Apr 2009)

A briefing session for students scheduled to undergo Industrial Training next semester, Jan - Apr 2009 shall be held as follows :

Time : 12.30 pm
Date : 16 July 2008
Venue : DK-G

ATTENDANCE IS COMPULSORY.

Regards,
ZZ

Jungle of Sarawak

FOR VIDEOS, CLICK HERE.

We proceeded on with our journey to Similajau National Park today, with excursions not too far from the park's administrative office. The trip was still rather challenging, mostly because we still had "Pak Bedal" on our minds. A skeletal sample of the crocodilian was available for viewing before we started moving. Several signages warning hikers taking the same rail reinforced the healthy distribution of Pak Bedal within the area to outsiders. We had to be on the lookout.

Ready with our cowboy hats, we took on the challenge to further comprehend this lush and fertile land. Besides Pak Bedal, the area is also habitat to other sensitive fauna such at the "Leatherback Turtle" and "Irrawady Dolphins", of which some baseline research is being done for the latter. The nesting grounds of the Leatherback is about a few kilometers north of the park grounds, along the coastline. The locals informed us that nesting season is typically between May to July. Nonetheless the bay area where the park is located, though beautiful is unperturbed, most probably due to the presence of Pak Bedal.

The hiking trail was relatively well-kept with some indication of decaying wood. Dr. Mac fell right at home here :-), naturally as he is an expert when it comes to these things, being able to identify various species of plants and trees located within the park vicinity off-hand ! right away !

There were thorny plants, huge trees, some with bright red trunks and forest ants almost the size of small cockroach ! Even a tree which was pissed off at something or someone (pokok Bengang). Hiking up and down the trail proved to be a most liberating and rewarding experience. You truly get to appreciate the sensitive ecosystem which binds this place together, and thus really comprehend and feel (in your heart) the importance of environmental preservation.

I must admit that towards the end of our journey my heart skipped a beat when we encountered some-kind of animal trail in the ground. The foot print looked fresh as if it was just made a few hours ago. From a layman's perspective, the distance between the front and hind legs resemble that of Pak Bedal. I really didn't want to stick around and find out so a quick snap-shot and whosh ! I was out of there. There were small streams that lead up to this area that seemed ideal for him to use as a jungle highway.

Overall I must say that the journey was a really rewarding one. The current environment must be preserved for the benefit and viewing of future generations. Whatever developmental activities that take place in Similajau must take into account its rich bio-diversity, with minimal impact towards its surroundings as well as the flora and fauna.

Regards,
ZZ

Adventure in Similajau

My initial intention was to do a proper write-up of the events that transpired today, however, I am just too tired from the field work to think straight and produce a plausible piece, though my excitement to share the photos taken during the survey is still overwhelming; it would be suffice to say that we went to several locations in Similajau that is generally "un-touched" by industrial development except for some logging. Very rarely do we encounter such a situation where mother nature exists in its bare condition, rich with flora and fauna. Then again, one would generally expect to see these things Sarawak. So here are the photos for your viewing pleasure.

Plate 1 : Taking a boat from the nearby fishing village to get to Sg. Similajau. The South China Sea tide was relatively kind to us (but Dr. Mac still felt a touch of nausea, you can tell from his face ;-))

Plate 2 : We entered the river mouth through the coastline. It was a gradual transition from saline to, well less saline water.....

Plate 3 & 4: I looked terrible, as we were literally scorching in the sun for a few hours before getting to Sg. Semba, a tributary of Sg. Similajau (we did some in-situ measurements and sampling of the marine environment). Conditions here were as natural as any tropical river can get.

Plate 5 : Doing some in-situ measurements, sampling and flow gauging at Sg. Semba.

Plate 6 : Sg. Similajau, main-stem heading back to the mainland. We had a close encounter with a baby crocodilian here, but we didn't stick around to investigate further as we didn't want to meet its mother. According to the locals, a man was devoured a few days back, hence we CABUT !!

Tomorrow we'll be heading to the forest reserve next to the Sg. Similajau Inya-Allah, to view the conditions over there. Thus I'll need all the rest I can get ! Hope you liked the photos....

Regards,
ZZ

Water Quality Parameters Talk and Training

Recently, Mr. Zaki Zainudin of the Water Quality Research Group was invited to give a talk and training session on "The Fundamentals of Water Quality Parameters" by Alam Sekitar Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (ASMA) to its Malaysian Water Quality Monitoring network personnel at Teluk Rubiah Beach Resort, Lumut, Perak from the 29th to 30th of May 2008. The talk encompassed a theoretical classroom bit as well as a field survey portion covering techniques and procedures of field sampling. Below are some photos from the event. 

Thanks Ardy, Shamuddin and Dr. Rani for inviting me over. For participants, please do not hesitate to contact me via e-mail if you have any enquiries.

Regards,

ZZ

Career and Industrial Training Opportunities with CCM Rev. 1

Dear Students (or should I say guys and gals :-)),

CCM is extending a special invitation for students who graduated from FKK this semester to join their company. The details of the interview session are as follows :

Date   :   6th June 2008 (Friday)

Time   :   8.30 am (BE EARLY !!)
Venue :

Tingkat 11
Bilik Mesyuarat Fakulti
Faculty of Chemical Engineering
Universiti Teknologi MARA
40450 Shah Alam
Selangor

It is a walk-interview session. Please bring along your relevant documents.

PLEASE DEPOSIT YOUR CVs (HARDCOPY) TO KAK YATI/KAK SHIKIN/KAK ZAHRAH ON OR BEFORE THE 5TH OF JUNE 2008. Please grab this opportunity to work at one of the most prestigious chemical companies in the country. Spread the word to your friends !! (even those from other relevant engineering disciplines).

For those of you who are applying for internship, please also directly e-mail your CVs to HR Manager, Mr. Abdul Rashid B. Abdul Majid (rashid-majid@ccm.com.my) for his perusal. This is just for students scheduled to undergo LI next semester, July - October 2008, however you must still deposit hardcopies of the CVs to the Academic Office.

Regards.

ZZ

Industrial Training Info. (July - October 2008)

Dear Students,

How are you ? Hope everything is well. Please READ THE INSTRUCTIONS BELOW CAREFULLY !!!

1) Please update me on the latest placement offers which you have received/accepted to that I can add it to the master list. Remember to include the company name, address, nature of business and other relevant information.

2) PLEASE FILL IN THE RULES OF INDUSTRIAL TRAINING FORM (click to download) AND SUBMIT IT BACK TO ME ALONG WITH YOUR BLUE FILE WITH THE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS BEFORE YOU COMMENCE WITH YOUR INDUSTRIAL TRAINING.

3) Tentatively, the industrial training presentation is scheduled for the 21ST OF OCTOBER 2008. The Industrial Training Report and IEM Logbook should be submitted on the same day.

4) Kindly pass the Guidelines for Supervisor and Supervisor Evaluation form to your respective industry supervisors. The form should be submitted back to me after the Industrial Training duration.

5) You should also read the "Visiting Lecturer Guide" for you to coordinate with the respective lecturers who will be visiting you mid-way through the training. I will update you on the respective individuals in due time. PLEASE ENSURE THAT ALL CONTACT DETAILS IN THE BLUE FILE ARE ACCURATE, so that the lecturers (and me) won't have any trouble contacting you. Do not forget to fill in the checklist of places which you have submitted applications to.

Students who fail a subject this semester (Jan - Apr 08 ) are not automatically allowed to continue with the industrial training. An application to the faculty's academic advisory committee is required before you can continue.

Regards,

ZZ

EU-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EU-MCCI) Registration

Dear Students,

Refer attached. This is an opportunity for all of you to secure an Industrial Training placement for the Jan - Apr 2009 semester. Please act accordingly.

The registration form can be downloaded here.

Regards,

ZZ

RM94mil to clean up three rivers in Johor

THE STAR, 10 MAY 2008, JOHOR BARU : The people's bad habit of dumping solid waste into rivers will cost the State government RM94mil to clean up garbage in three rivers here.

Sungai Segget, Sungai Tebrau and Sungai Skudai have been classified as the most polluted within the Iskandar Malaysia development project area.

Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said the move was essential to prevent the rivers from being further polluted.

He said a mechanical system to trap solid garbage would be installed along the 32.5km-long Sungai Tebrau, Sungai Skudai (35km) and Sungai Segget (4km).

"We have carried out all the studies on these rivers and will go for open tender this year," he said.

Abdul Ghani said waste and sewage from construction sites, squatter areas and factories also contributed to river pollution.

"As such several plans are being drawn to counter the problem," he said.

He said among them was to relocate squatters living along the rivers.

"The relocation cannot be avoided. We cannot deny that the riverside dwellers have contributed to river pollution by dumping solid waste into it.

"The garbage trap system will not be as effective if they continue to dump rubbish into the river," he said.

Abdul Ghani said they were looking into the possibility of relocating foreign workers at designated places in view of their increased numbers in Johor, with the development of Iskandar Malaysia.

He was speaking to reporters at a gotong-royong to clean up Sungai Tebrau here yesterday.

Some 1,500 people including students, villagers and non-governmental organisations spent a day to pick up the rubbish in the river and those trapped in the mangrove areas.

Abdul Ghani said RM45mil has been allocated to carry out research at several river basins in Johor.

He said upgrading works would also be done in these river basins, which include the Sungai Muar stretch in Segamat, Sungai Batu Pahat, Sungai Kluang-Mengkibol, Sungai Pontian and Sungai Mersing.

He added 20 river rehabilitation projects have also been carried out in eight districts.

Earth Day

Today is Earth Day !! Lets celebrate it by showing our love and care for this planet we call home. What can we do to make a difference ? visit : http://www.epa.gov/earthday/

Politik Ternakan Babi

PENULIS : Prof. Datuk Dr. Zaini Ujang (Berita Harian, 16 April 2008)

Sudah sekian lama isu ladang ternakan babi menjadi polemik dalam masyarakat Malaysia. Polemik ini menjadi sensitif dengan adanya pengaruh politik dan sentimen agama. Sejak kebelakangan ini, faktor alam sekitar dan keharmonian kaum pula memanaskan keadaan.

Secara umumnya, ladang ternakan babi merupakan keperluan untuk membekalkan makanan kepada orang bukan Islam, khususnya kaum Cina. Sejak sekian lama ternakan babi sinonim dengan penempatan kaum Cina di luar bandar. Biasanya babi diternak secara kecil-kecilan untuk keperluan keluarga dan selebihnya dijual ketika musim perayaan. Hal sama dilakukan orang Melayu luar bandar yang juga menternak kerbau, lembu, kambing, ayam dan itik secara kecil-kecilan.

Namun demikian, keadaan berubah sejak kira-kira 20 tahun lalu. Penternakan babi tidak lagi dijalankan secara kecil-kecilan tetapi berkembang menjadi industri penting membekalkan makanan keperluan penduduk tempatan. Hal ini digiatkan lagi apabila Singapura mengenakan peraturan alam sekitar sangat ketat terhadap aktiviti ternakan babi di negara tersebut. Akibatnya banyak pengusaha industri babi dari Singapura memindahkan ladang dengan melabur di Malaysia. Dari segi ekonomi, pelaburan tersebut memang menguntungkan. Itulah sebabnya keluasan ladang dan jumlah babi agak ketara di Johor, Melaka, Perak, Pulau Pinang dan Selangor berbanding 30 tahun lalu.

Sebagai contoh, menurut laman web rasmi Jabatan Perkhidmatan Haiwan Perak (http://www.jphpk.gov.my), jumlah babi di Selangor 391,200 pada tahun 1996 dan 264,510 pada 2007. Di Perak 566,520 (1996) kepada 489,090 (2007), Pulau Pinang 274,340 (1996) kepada 296,230 (2007) dan Johor 361,980 (1996) kepada 294,810 (2007) dan Melaka 168,450 kepada 150,870 (2007). Tiada ternakan babi didaftarkan di Trengganu. Sementara itu, jumlah babi didaftarkan di Negeri Sembilan menurun dengan mendadak dari 659,730 (1996) kepada 1910 (1999) selepas peristiwa wabak penyakit akibat virus Japanese Encephalitis dan virus Nipah di Bukit Pelanduk. Pada tahun 2007 hanya 1200 babi diternak di Negeri Sembilan.

Menyedari realiti tersebut, banyak inisatif dilakukan untuk memastikan aktiviti ternakan babi dijalankan dengan sempurna bagi mengurangkan risiko kesihatan awam, pencemaran alam sekitar dan sensitiviti pelbagai pihak. Memang babi menjijikan bagi orang Islam sesuai dengan pengharamannya dalam surah Al-Baqarah ayat 173. Hukumnya najis muhalazah, iaitu najis berat yang bukan sahaja perlu disamak jika bersentuhan bahkan sinonim dengan hal terlarang sama ada diternak, dijual apatah lagi dimakan.

Pengharaman tersebut mewarnai perspektif orang Islam dalam konteks politik ladang ternakan babi. Sehubungan itu setiap pihak, sama ada dari parti UMNO, PKR apatah lagi PAS memang berhati-hati menangani isu berkaitan babi. Dalam hal ini, prinsip Islam jelas bahawa orang bukan Islam diharuskan menternak babi untuk keperluan makanan dan ekonomi mereka. Hal ini sesuai dengan sifat toleransi Islam terhadap orang bukan Islam dan dasar negara mengutamakan keharmonian rakyat pelbagai kaum dan agama.

Pada hemat saya, isu utama penternakan babi, khususnya dalam konteks di Kuala Langat dan Sepang, merangkumi tiga dimensi. Pertama, sensitiviti agama dan kaum. Sebagaimana ketetapan ajaran Islam, orang Islam tidak boleh menghalang orang bukan Islam untuk menternak babi. Namun demikian ladang ternakan tersebut mestilah tidak menganggu penduduk sekitarnya apatah lagi orang Islam yang taboo dengan apa sahaja berkaitan babi.

Kedua, keperluan orang bukan Islam untuk menternak babi secara sah, teratur dan terancang di lokasi sesuai. Pada tahun 2006, terdapat kira-kira 900 ladang menempatkan 1.8 juta ekor babi. Jumlah ini jauh kecil berbanding Thailand dengan 11.5 juta. Di Selangor sahaja, seluas 440 hektar ladang babi berselerak di banyak tempat. Sebahagian besar aktiviti ternakan tersebut dijalankan di atas tanah yang tidak jelas statusnya. Malah banyak ladang babi tidak didaftarkan. Hal ini mudah difahami kerana pihak berkuasa tempatan menghadapi kesukaran untuk meluluskan ladang ternakan babi yang diusahakan secara kecil-kecilan, apatah lagi jika tidak dilengkapkan dengan kemudahan dan teknologi mesra alam. Akhirnya ladang-ladang tersebut terus berkembang dan penguatkuasaan undang-undang tidak dijalankan sebaiknya.

Ketiga, permodenan industri penternakan babi tidak mesra alam disebabkan ketidakpastian dari segi status tanah dan perniagaan. Tidak ada penternak yang berani melabur beratus juta ringgit jika pihak kerajaan tidak memberi kepastian dari segi lesen dan status tanah. Inilah sebabnya teknologi pelupusan buangan ladang ternakan babi masih menggunakan kaedah lama yang tidak mesra alam, iaitu kolam penstabilan sisa (WSP). Sebagai alternatif, banyak teknologi baru dikembangkan dengan konsep kaedah sifar buangan (zero discharge). Menerusi konsep ini, semua bahan buangan akan dirawat menggunakan teknologi reaktor anaerobik tertutup yang dapat mengurangkan masalah bau dan lalat, menghasilkan biogas dan enap cemar yang boleh dijadikan kompos. Teknologi ini sudah digunakan dengan meluas di banyak negara maju, malah di Thailand dan Taiwán.

Pada hemat saya, kita mempunyai lima pilihan untuk menangani masalah penternakan babi di Malaysia:

1) mengharamkan semua aktiviti ternakan babi dengan alasan sensitiviti orang Islam-Melayu dan pencemaran alam sekitar.

2) membiarkan keadaan kini berterusan dengan alasan kita masih belum ada penyelesaian yang disepakati. Ini bermakna penduduk di Kuala Langat dan Sepang akan terus mengalamai masalah bau busuk, lalat dan pencemaran sungai dan persisir pantai.

3) mengarahkan semua pemilik ladang ternakan babi menggunakan teknologi sifar buangan dengan alasan mematuhi peraturan alam sekitar. Persoalannya kebanyakan aktiviti penternakan babi tidak mendapat lesen dan premis didaftarkan secara sah. Dalam keadaan ini, Jabatan Alam Sekitar tidak mempunyai kuasa untuk mengenakan syarat-syarat yang diperuntukan dalam Akta Kualiti Alam Sekeliling 1974 (Buangan Industri dan Kumbahan).

4) membina ladang ternakan babi moden mengikut zon dalam sesebuah negeri dengan alasan ladang ternakan yang tidak terlalu besar mengurangkan risiko kesihatan awam dan alam sekitar, sekaligus mengambilkira sensitiviti orang Islam. Persoalannya, apakah pihak pelabur bersedia berbelanja besar dengan pulangan terhad?

5) membina ladang ternakan berpusat dengan alasan memudahkan operasi, pemantauan dan penguatkuasaan undang-undang sebagaimana yang dicadangkan Kerajaan Selangor minggu lalu.

Kelima-lima pilihan ini perlu dikaji segera. Semakin ditanggung semakin mencemarkan alam sekitar, bahkan mengugat keharmonian kaum. Sehubungan itu dasar jelas perlu diputuskan, disusuli tindakan dan perlaksanaan sewajarnya.

Realiti politik memang perlu ditangani tetapi semua pihak sebenarnya mendapat manfaat jika isu penternakan babi dapat diselesaikan dengan teratur, terancang dan mesra alam. Barisan Nasional sebenarnya mendapat pulangan paling besar kerana perancangan ladang ternakan berpusat dilakukan sejak lebih lima tahun lalu bukan sahaja di peringkat kerajaan pusat bahkan di peringkat negeri. Kerajaan Selangor pula terpaksa melaksanakan perancangan lalu. Yang jelas rakyat akan mendapat manfaat dengan industri penternakan babi yang melambangkan status minda kelas pertama yang dijalankan secara kompetitif, berdaya maju, menjaga sensitiviti semua pihak, bersih dan mesra alam.

Penulis ialah Timbalan Naib Canselor (Penyelidikan dan Inovasi) dan Profesor Kejuruteraan Alam Sekitar di Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, dan Timbalan Presiden Persatuan Air Malaysia.