UTM – The Creator of Creative and Innovative Minds

(Photos by Zuber, Corporate Communication)

Today, July 14, I must pay tribute to Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), especially its Vice Chancellor, Prof Datuk Dr Zaini Ujang for sharing with Bernama senior management its successes, breakthroughs and its expertise in a wide range of fields, especially in creative technology.

As the name suggests, technology is its forte, and the university, which aspires to be a renowned technological research university, does not want to let its precious research go to waste and remains stored in the laboratories, so-to-speak.

Over the years, the university has made major technological breakthroughs, but not much is known by the public at large. And UTM under Zaini’s leadership wants to change all that and is going all out to promote the university.

Today, he brought along some of his executive committee members to Bernama. At a briefing by Bernama General Manager, Hasnul Hassan, Zaini also shared with us some of its success stories.

Not many people know that Upin & Ipin is the creative product of UTM.

Upin & Ipin is an animation series about two 5-year-old twins, Upin and Ipin telling their first experience fasting for the first time in the month of Ramadan. The story is told in a simple, comical and hilarious way.

Although the series is tailored for the fasting month, it is also suitable to be shown all year round as it has educational and moral values for children.

The man behind the success of the animation series and 3D film is Managing Director of Les’ Copaque Production Sdn Bhd, Burhanuddin Md Radzi who tapped the ideas of some of the young brains from the university who were final year students at the UTM.

Burhanuddin, who had no background in the film and animation field, took the risks by producing the series and the first 3D animation film in Malaysia.

He majored in petroleum and natural gas engineering from the university and has served as an engineer in the national oil corporation, Petronas for 10 years.

His wife, Ainon Ariff is also the driving force behind this creative venture, when she expressed her interest in producing a film. She had earlier been inspired by her friend, whose son had at that time, just completed his studies at the Universiti Multimedia Malaysia (MMU).

Three MMU graduates involved in this project are Mohd Nizam Abd Razak, Mohd Safwan Ab Karim and Muhammad Usamah Zain Yasin, who now form the backbone of Les’ Copaque, holding key positions as executive director, art director and creative director respectively.

Upin & Ipin or Burhanuddin is not the only success story of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, whose slogan is ‘Inspiring Creative & Innovative Minds’.

It has also produced experts in security systems and games technology. Other breakthroughs include producing enzymes which can convert tapioca and sago into high value product for use in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and food industries.

The brains behind this product, known as CGTase, is Prof Dr Rosli Md Illias, who undertook 10 years of research. He embarked on the research through a RM400,000 fund from the Malaysian Genome Institute with the cooperation of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (UPM).

At 41, Dr Rosli is the youngest professor at the university.