KUCHING: Approximately 707 par ticipants took par t in the Sarawak Invention, Innovation, and Design Exposition (SIIDEx) 2018. An initiative undertaken by Univer s i t i Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sarawak and the Ministry of Educat ion, Sc ience, and Technological Research, the event was held at Penview Convention Centre (PCC) Demak here yesterday.
Chief Minister, Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Openg, who officiated the closing ceremony, applauded the initiative as a step forward for Sarawak to achieve the status of a developed state. “In developed countries, they put emphasis on research as well as an educational system that stresses on new technological findings.
“Putting emphasis on technology, research and competitiveness will form a platform towards a developed economy,” he added in his speech. The Chief Minister explained that in order to be innovative, the people must shed their mind of all conventional thoughts and dare to be disruptive.
“To that, you must be able to abandon your comfort zone and face challenges as an incentive to find new things. “Sarawak has a lot of materials and resources to create and innovate for a value-added and market into the international market.
“If you do an analysis on the success of today’s entrepreneurs, it’s all because they have disruptive thinking,” he said.
Meanwhile, a team from SMK Sri Sadong walked away with the coveted Chief Minister’s Award at this year’s SIIDEx. In Categor y A ( secondar y schools), the team’s product named “Kit Tenaga Mudah Alih (Battleearth)” also earned it the Gold Award besides the Best of the Best Award. The team took home the Gold Award together with SMK Tung Hua (Safety Lighter Regulator) and SMK Kampung Nangka (XPress Charger).
In Category B (undergraduate students), the Best of the Best Award was won by IPG Rajang Campus with its project entitled “History Diorama Cube in 21st Century Education”. It won the Gold Award for the project.
Other recipients of the Gold Award in Category B included three teams from UiTM Sarawak with their respective entries -“3- in-1 Cocoir Pot”, “Handy Pepper Harvester” and “Sago Pearl Gel”. In Category C (open), the recipient of the Gold Award was a team from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) with their entry entitled “Mo-Learn: Learning Through Motion.”
In Category D (educators/teachers/ lecturers), the Best of the Best Award was won by SK Datu Pengiran Mohmad with a product named “MEC-D” which also won the Gold Award.
Other entries which won the Gold Award in Category D included UiTM Sarawak (“Fraction Scale”), Politeknik Kuching Sarawak (“Low Cost Multipurpose CNC Ma chine” ) , SK Sunga i Kut Tengah (“S’Creams”), and SK Saint Bernard (“Smartable”).
As for the special awards, a team from SMK Sri Sadong again won the special award for Communical Product while IPG Rajang Campus’ “History Diorama Cube in 21st Century Ed u c a t i o n ” wo n t h e s p e – cial award for Teaching and Learning. UiTM Sarawak’s “3- in- 1 Cocoir Pot” won the special award for Envi ronment and Sustainability while SK Sungai Kut Tengah’s “S’Creams” won the Best Booth Award.
Me anwhi l e , Mini s t e r o f E d u c a t i o n , S c i e n c e , a n d Technological Research, Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong said that Sarawak still had ways to go to catch up on innovation, invention and design.
“Therefore, this event is a timely catalyst to transform creative juices and innovative ideas into products with potential commercial values. “I trust that this event will serve its purpose as a platform to promote the culture of innovation in Sarawak. “It will also identify potential products for the purpose of business- matching and commercialisation,” said Manyin.
Also present during the event were State Secretary, Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani, Assistant Minister for Education and Technological Research, Dr Annuar Rapaee, and UiTM Sarawak Acting Rector, Associate Professor Dr Rasidah Mahdi.
