KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor lauded  Petronas’ green energy and human capital development initiatives to complement  Sabah’s priority in these sectors.  

Hajiji said this after witnessing the presentation of the Petronas-Academia Collaboration  Dialogue (PACD) Awards and the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement between  Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) and University College Sabah Foundation (UCSF)  at Menara Kinabalu, near here today.  

Seven researchers from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) were awarded a RM5.75  million grant under the PACD to carry out research in green energy-related fields such  as clean energy storage systems, bio-energy development, efficient hydrogen  generation, as well as in operational efficiency through data science and artificial  intelligence. 

“This will benefit Sabah’s quest to explore and promote sustainable solutions in energy related fields that align with global sustainability goals. 

“This is where industries are moving towards globally, and the State Government wants  to ensure this is also adopted locally,” he said. 

The researchers, Prof Madya Dr Mailin Misson, Ir Dr Mohd Azlan Ismail, Dr Zarina Amin,  Dr Ng Chi Huey, Dr Nazrien Adrian Amaludin, Dr Goh Poh Wah, and Dr Ervin Gubin  Moung received the awards from Petronas Senior Vice President of Malaysia Petroleum  Management, Datuk Ir. Bacho Pilong. 

On the collaboration between UTP and UCSF, the Chief Minister said it was an excellent  human capital development initiative to give top Sabah SPM achievers not only  education and training opportunities but also to develop a skilled labour force. 

Under the agreement, UTP and UCSF would be offering the UCSF-UTP Foundation  Programme, a one-year foundation programme based on the UTP foundation curriculum  structure for Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia top achievers from Sabah to undergo foundation  studies at UCSF.  

Upon completion of the one-year foundation programme at UCSF, students will have the  opportunity to pursue their bachelor’s degree in science and engineering programmes  at the UTP campus in Perak.

Signing on behalf of UTP was Vice Chancellor Professor Dato’ Ts Dr Mohamed Ibrahim  Abdul Mutalib while Vice Chancellor Dr Rafiq Idris represented UCSF. 

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