UMP

New UMP campus to boost growth

2011/03/12
By M. Hamzah Jamaludin
hamzah@nst.com.my

Professor Datuk Dr Daing Nasir Ibrahim (right) inspecting the solar dish at the UMP permanent campus in Kuala Pahang. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak will open the campus today. — NST picture by Azmaidi Abidin

 

PEKAN: Universiti Malaysia Pahang's (UMP) permanent campus in Kuala Pahang has not only changed the landscape in the fishing hamlet, but it has acted as a catalyst for development in the surrounding areas and Pekan town.

Built on a 260 ha site, the main campus in Kuala Pahang opened on July 27, 2009 when 263 of UMP staff and 2,480 students from the Gambang campus near Kuantan were relocated to the facility here.

And today, the university's staff and students are honoured when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak make an official visit to the campus, which is poised to be the main education hub and leading tertiary institution in the east coast.

UMP vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Daing Nasir Ibrahim said Najib was scheduled to launch a special green technology project between UMP subsidiary, UMP Green Technology Sdn Bhd, and Urban Environmental Industries Sdn Bhd.

They will develop an extraction process that could help recycle used engine oil into a lubricant.

The project could produce 14,000 tonnes of lubricant annually.

On the permanent campus, Daing Nasir said it could accommodate 20,000 students when all the facilities were completed.

Facilities for two faculties -- Mechanical Engineering and Electrical and Electronics Engineering -- have been completed while a hostel for 648 students was opened in July 2009.

The construction of the Manufacturing Engineering faculty, a library and a hostel facility for 1,400 students, was expected to be completed in August.

The main campus will also create jobs in the surrounding areas and villages.

"The locals, who are mostly fishermen, can provide services, rent rooms or sell products to our staff and students." Daing Nasir said UMP's existence here would also complement the development of the oil and gas and petrochemical industry under the East Coast Economic Region initiative and the automotive industry in Pekan.