From farmer to inventor

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CUTTING PROCESS: A Nibong plank is cut into smaller pieces.

MUKAH: A SUGGESTION by his first wife to build their own house with nibong planks transformed a villager, who idolises computer wizard Steve Jobs, from a farmer into an inventor.

Saidin Rahman, 45, from Kampung Teh, Oya sub-district under Dalat District, has come up with an invention called oncosperma tigillarium (nibong) processing machine, patented under Perbadanan Harta Intelek Malaysia Pat.

His creation was one of the many innovative feats produced by the rural community that caught the attention of Malaysian Innovation Foundation (YIM) during its ‘Innovation Walk’ in Mukah, Dalat and Balingian on Oct 21
and 23.

Saidin’s machine needs steady power supply for optimum outputl

Previously, Saidin, a former student of SMK Dalat, had used the chainsaw — normally for felling timber — to cut the hard nibong bark (kulit nibong) but it was not satisfactory because the bark was easily damaged the serrated blades.

Clearly, he had to invent a machine if he wanted to produce quality planks from nibong trees.

His wife suggested he gave it a try — and what better motivation to get started than building their own ‘nibong’ home with the new invention.

However, Saidin never got round to it.

Several years after the death of his first wife in childbirth, Saidin took a second wife — Dania Abdullah, the elder sister of his late wife.

His four children were happy with his decision as they needed a mother.

Dania encouraged Saidin to follow through with his plan to build a house with nibong planks as suggested by his first wife.

Besides, he could also use the nibong wood to make furniture and cupboards to supplement his income.

Subsequently, Saidin decided to put his plan into action and through trial and error, came up with a machine capable of producing planks from nibong trees.

thesundaypost recently visited his house to have a first-hand look at the machine and find out more about its components, operations, functions and power supply.

Saidin said he was inspired by the Steve Jobs, the Apple Computer inventor, to tap into his own creative potential, and the result, he proudly declared, was the nibong processing machine.

However, the only problem, he noted, was that his house is not connected to the Sesco grid — and he needs a three-phase industrial-equivalent power supply to make his machine run properly.

“I need steady electricity supply to enhance the capacity and capability of my machine in order to enjoy the fruits of my invention like selling more planks and putting my patented machine in the open market.

This will greatly improve our livelihood,” he said, hoping Sesco could connect electricity to his house as soon as possible.

Saidin thanked the Ministry of Science Technology and Innovations (Mosti), YIM, scientists, experts and the media for coming to view his invention during the recent Third Innovation Walk here.

He also hoped Mosti and YIM could give him much-needed funding to register and put his invention in the international market.