KOTA MARUDU: Eight hundred secondary school students here were exposed to the wonders of chemistry and its role in our daily lives during the two-day Malaysian Chemistry Carnival that ends today.
The Form Four to Upper Six students were very enthusiastic to learn more about chemistry during the carnival held at the community hall.
Many had fun participating in hands-on experiments performed under the guidance of chemists, including on electrolysis of water, electroplating, making of polymer, rubber and glue and surface tension.
Kota Marudu district was chosen as the venue for the state-level carnival organised by Malaysian Institute of Chemistry (IKM) in collaboration with the Chemistry Department and the district office.
It aims at encouraging students’ interest in the field of science.
The event was launched by Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Radin Malleh who represented Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili yesterday morning.
Maximus said in his speech read by Radin that such carnival was important in reaching out to rural students who should be given opportunity and exposure to various areas in science, in particular chemistry.
“We would also like to get our young people more interested in science subjects such as chemistry, for the development of our human capital in science and technology. This is especially so since science and technology has been identified as a key enabler in the government’s economic transformation programme.
“We want our children to not only take up chemistry as a discipline in university but choose it as a career,” he said.
The carnival was first launched on April 15, 2011 at the National Science Centre, Kuala Lumpur in conjunction with the celebration of the International Year of Chemistry 2011. Similar carnivals will be held in seven states, targeted at students and the general public.
Activities during the carnival in Kota Marudu include poster exhibition, hands-on experiments and demonstrations, lectures by university professors and chemists from government agencies and private sector, quizzes and crossword puzzles.
The lectures included on career in chemistry by IKM president Datuk Dr Soon Ting Kueh, nanotechnology by National Nanotech Directorate undersecretary Professor Halimaton Hamdan, food applications of palm oil by UKM’s Professor Datin Zuriati Zakaria and on “water for life” by UKM’s Professor Dr Yang Farina Abdul Aziz.