KOTA KINABALU: The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, through the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) officially launched RakanMET, a web-based application that aims to improve climate and weather awareness in the country.
Its minister Datuk Seri Panglima Wilfred Madius Tangau asserted that the application was aimed at diversifying the responsibility of climate and weather awareness, whereby the people are allowed to share any information regarding any weather or climate changes in their respective districts.
All the information sent by the public will be uploaded into the application and it can then be accessed online, he told reporters when met at World Meteorological Day celebration cum launching of RakanMET on Friday.
However, any information sent by the public would have to be approved by relevant officers before it can be published online. This is to prevent members of the public from posting false reports.
This application can be accessed by typing the following URL in any web browser: https://rakanmet.met.gov.my.
During the event, Tangau also announced that all those with meteorological educational backgrounds would now be given the due credit and recognition that they deserve.
This is possible due to the establishment of the Malaysian Board of Technologies and its decision to give professional recognition for officers with technological educational backgrounds.
Now, officers and assistant officers working in MetMalaysia and meteorologists alike would also stand the chance to receive the recognition, as the field of meteorology becomes the 22nd field to be recognised by the Malaysian Board of Technologies.
In view of this, Tangau called on all those with meteorological educational backgrounds to come forward and register themselves.
“For your information, there has been a number of technological backgrounds that has been registered. As of now, there are 21 technological backgrounds that have been given recognition,” Tangau said, adding that there were 3, 458 technologists who had registered themselves.
Yesterday’s launching also witnessed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between MetMalaysia and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).
The said agreement is aimed at enhancing the cooperation of the two bodies, especially with regard to research, development, training, publishing as well as data and meteorological information exchange.
“Today, I had the opportunity to officiate at the World Meteorological Day nationwide celebration held here in Kota Kinabalu. This yearly celebration has been held since 1950, ever since the establishment of the World Meteorological Organisation by the United Nations (UN).
“The main objective of this celebration is to increase the awareness level amongst the people, especially in terms of climate change, meteorology etc,” he added.