JKNCR Offers Solar Technology Expertise to Sarawak Schools

Kuching, 18 Oktober – Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) with the cooperation of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) plans to offer the solar technology expertise which both public universities (UA) possess to schools in Sarawak.

The matter was voiced by the Chairperson of the Committee of the Public University Vice Chancellors/Rectors (JKNCR) Brig. Jen. Datuk Prof. Emeritus Dr. Kamarudin Hussin.

“This is the first university social responsibility (USR) programme that the Vice Chancellors of all UAs will offer to the community, and most especially to school students, in conjunction with the JKNCR Meeting which was hosted by UNIMAS.

“For starters, we have selected Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Petra Jaya (SMKPJ) here to run the project and it will expand to other schools according to suitability,” he said when met during a visit to SMKPJ yesterday.

Also present for the visit were Vice Chancellor of Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka Profesor Datuk Dr. Shahrin Sahib, Vice Chancellor of Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia Profesor Datuk Dr. Musa Ahmad, Vice Chancellor of Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris Profesor Datuk Dr. Zakaria Kasa and the Director of Student Admission Management Division, Ministry of Higher Education Mazula Sabudin.

Representing SMKPJ were the Yang Dipertua of the Parents Teachers Association Awang Zaidil Awang Jamil and its Principal Abdul Radzak Ismail.

Dr. Kamarudin, also the Vice Chancellor of UniMAP, said that his group which includes solar technology researchers from the School of Electrical System Engineering (PPKSE) visited SMKPJ especially to give a briefing on the expertise that was offered.

“This is still at the beginning stages and any decisions will subject to the approval of the Sarawak State Education Department. The visit today is only for introduction and to explain the skills that we possess,” he said.

Dr. Kamarudin further explained that three projects have been identified as suitable to be carried out at SMKPJ, the first of which is the Green Gazebo which uses solar energy to power lamps, fans and other electronic equipment including USB.

To ensure this project's success, UNIMAS will provide a gazebo while UniMAP will be responsible for the complete installation of the solar energy system.

The second proposed project, he mentioned, is the Solar Greenhouse where solar technology will be used to control irrigation activities, temperature and other agricultural systems in greenhouses.

“The final project that is planned is the Green Bus Stop where a bus stop will be fitted with a lamp and a fan powered by solar energy.

“During daytime, the fan will be directly powered by the sun's energy while at night, the lamp and the fan will be activated by the solar energy stored in batteries,” he continued.