Lulie (right) briefs Dr Annuar on the functions of various labs at the new TPRL in Kota Samarahan.
KUCHING: Researchers have to be better prepared when it comes to the presentation of their abstracts in a setting such as a conference, and have a good command of English when it comes to preparing and publishing their findings.
Assistant Minister for Science Research and Biotechnology Dr Annuar Rapaee said it was important to be able to impart knowledge well.
“I have been to a lot of conferences around the world before I entered politics, and a lot of researchers are not well prepared when it comes to presentation,” he said during a visit to the new Tropical Peat Research Laboratory (TPRL) Unit in Kota Samarahan yesterday.
He said the next step was to commercialise their findings, something he wanted to look into over the next few years.
Dr Annuar was addressing the staff at TPRL and members of the media after a briefing by TPRL Unit director Dr Lulie Melling.
As a trained physician and cardiologist, Dr Annuar can appreciate the amount of time that goes into research work.
“Research takes a long time and the end result can go either way – positive or negative. Regardless, both answers have some value. There will be an impact,” he said, adding that he would work closely with Lulie to see how the state government could give them more recognition.
In her thorough presentation earlier, Lulie outlined the roles and challenges faced by her unit, gave an overview of their new building, and gave an update on the upcoming 15th International Peat Congress (IPC) 2016, of which she is the congress general.
The 15th International Peat Congress (IPC) 2016 will be held from August 15 to 19 at Pullman Hotel, Kuching. This marks the first time the conference ventured out of Europe and North America, and into Asia.
It is organised by Malaysian Peat Society (MPS) in partnership with world renown International Peat Society (IPS).
The organisers have received a total of 390 abstract submissions. Out of that total, 104 are Malaysian papers with TPRL or TPRL collaborators contributing 25 papers.
With the theme ‘Peatlands in Harmony – Agriculture, Industry and Nature’, IPC 2016 will bring together leading professionals from all corners of the world to take stock of the present state of knowledge and experiences, bring forward future challenges and shape the agenda to advance development on peat lands.