(From left) Natasha Jayong, Melvin, and Cheryle Estelle Sharah Jonny show their Carbon Minimiser prototype.
MELAKA: SMK Assyakirin Bintulu has received a consolation prize for its All About Youth (AAY) national finals entry Carbon Minimiser.
The school represented Sarawak against representatives from four other states at the event here on Tuesday.
The five schools, whose projects were identified by the judges as having high impact solutions and potential commercial value, will have another 15 weeks to enhance their projects.
They will then compete for the Chairman’s Circle Championship in December, which offers a grand prize of RM30,000.
Student Melvin Laga described the Carbon Minimiser as a solar-powered air purifier that uses calcium hydroxide as the main component to neutralise carbon dioxide in surrounding areas.
He explained that living and studying in an area surrounded by industrial activities prompted the team to come up with the prototype.
“There is also a possibility for our project to be done on a larger scale. All we have to do is to work according to the designs of our current prototype and set it up on an industrial scale,” he said when contacted after their presentation.
“We know that global warming is the issue these days and because of it, many bad things have happened to our environment. For instance, due to the increasing world temperature, the ice (at both North and South poles) has melted. The high temperature is also a contributor to forest fires.”
Lita Osman
Yayasan Petronas chief executive officer Lita Osman said this year’s theme ‘Reducing Carbon Emissions for a Better Future’ was in accordance with its main pillars – education and environment.
“In our effort to help the nation as a whole, we are now reaching out to various sectors to obtain solutions to solve the issue,” she told a press conference after the finals.
SM Imtiaz Yayasan Terengganu won the RM20,000 top prize for the CO2NSER – a detection and warning system that helps prevent the spread of forest fires.
SMK Tebobon, Sabah’s Eco-Smart Classroom was second while SMK Tun Habab, Johor’s PELTZ was third.
The other consolation prize went to SMK St Francis, Melaka.
Petronas All About Youth is a competition-based programme involving Form 4 students from selected schools. Students develop and implement sustainable community projects with help and support from Petronas volunteer buddies.
Around 50 schools in Sarawak, Sabah, Johor, Melaka, and Terengganu competed this year.
Each team received RM1,000 seed funding, a Technology Toolbox worth RM1,250, as well as mentoring by Petronas volunteers to develop their project over three months.