By Amirul Asyraf Noor Nasruddin
BANTING, Dec 1- Faculty of Science Students’ Association (FaSSA), in collaboration with the Chemical Student Club (KMK), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), organised the Chemical Catalysis Day 2019 in Morib Beach.
The programme aimed at fostering teamwork spirit in conducting activities and cultivating the spirit of unity among students of various races, ethnicities and religions.
200 members of the Student Chemistry Club participated in the programme, and as future chemists, KMK is committed to reach out to the community to ensure the environment is free of rubbish, especially from non-biodegradable waste that can pollute the beach and the ocean.
Morib beach was selected for the programme as it is a tourist attraction.
The programme, which was held for the first time at the beach, received encouraging response from the members of the Department of Chemistry, especially the students and lecturers.
Head of the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, UPM, Prof. Dr. Zulkarnain Zainal, said he was proud that UPM students were aware of the importance of preserving the coastal areas in the country which are becoming contaminated with waste, and that they were able to organise such as high impact programme.
"In line with UPM’s slogan, "With Knowledge We Serve", the Faculty of Science is committed in producing high-quality students who excel academically and possess strong character," he said.
Programme advisor, Dr. Norizah Abdul Rahman, said that such an approach would enable UPM students to form a closer relationship not only among themselves, but also with the lecturers.
“Students are trained to contribute and participate in a high impact programme. Selecting a beach area which is also a tourist attraction is a wise choice in creating awareness of the importance of coastal area cleanliness in our country,” she said.
The Beach Plogging activity with a theme ‘Single Use Plastic Day’ was organised as the main event at the Chemical Catalysis Day 2019.
The activity involved beach clean-ups at the Morib Beach area, whereby students and lecturers from the Department of Chemistry, UPM, worked hand-in–hand collecting rubbish that tarnishes the beauty of the beach.
Each student group was given a theme for the activity. Among the themes given were Hawksbill Turtle, Black Rhinos, Gray Parrot and Amur Leopard which represent the name of endangered species in the country.
The Beach Plogging programme was also aimed at preventing the rubbish from entering the ocean and affecting marine life.
In addition, through the Faculty of Science Students’ Association, students were not only given exposure to leadership and organisation, but also to off-campus communities.
The director of the Chemical Catalysis Day 2019 Programme, Nur Syamimie Mohd Rozali, who is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Chemical Sciences with Honours from the Faculty of Science, said the programme enabled him to practice ethical behaviours and strengthen a sense of responsibility towards environmental sustainability.
"I also had the opportunity to get closer to the off-campus community, recognise the need to participate in activities conducted with the community and improve my soft skills" she said. - UPM
