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Saturday, 20 January 2018
11 Prominent Figures Of The Malaysian Plantation Industry Awarded At IIPM’s Fellowship Dinner & Membership Awards 2018
The International Institute of Plantation Management (IIPM) has awarded 11 prominent figures who have made significant contributions to the local plantation industry at their Fellowship Dinner & Membership Awards 2018.
In his welcoming speech at the event which took place at Hilton Petaling Jaya, Halid Hasbullah Boestamam, the Executive Director of IIPM reminisced on the days when the establishment of IIPM was still in its planning stages.
“It was here (Hilton Petaling Jaya) in 2004 that we had our first discussion of the possibilities to set up IIPM”, he said.
He further shared the progress IIPM has made since its establishment in 2006.
“We have our professional programs, namely the Certificate in Plantation Industry Management, Professional Diploma in Plantation Management and Professional Qualifying Examination in Plantation Industry. These programs are recognized and accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency.”
“We have also held many conferences.”
Halid expressed his gratitude to those who have made the journey possible.
The Fellowship Dinner & Membership Awards 2018 event was backed by TH Plantations Berhad (THP), the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB), Perbadanan Kemajuan Pertanian Selangor (PKPS) and the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB).
Two categories of membership award were given that evening — the Fellow Member and Fellow Certified Planter.
Among the criteria one must possess to qualify for the membership award as Fellow Member include having to “demonstrate to the satisfaction of The Council of the Institute a level of knowledge and understanding, competence and commitment involving superior responsibility in a plantation related profession or have attained a position of such professional eminence in a plantation or other agricultural occupation”.
To be awarded with the Fellow Certified Planter membership, parts of the requirements are such that one must have “demonstrated to the satisfaction of The Council of the Institute that he/she has achieved a position of professional standing having normally been professionally engaged in the plantation or agriculture sector for a period of at least 10 years that includes significant responsibility or have submitted a paper on approved subject that demonstrates the level of theoretical knowledge and understanding necessary to practice in an appropriate registration category, and successfully undertaken an examination based on the paper”.
The list of honours for Fellow Member includes Senator Prof. Emeritus Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr. Ibrahim Abu Shah, Dato’ Dr.Rosti Saruwono, Dato’ Dr.Jalaluddin Harun, Dr.Zairossani Mohd. Nor, Datuk Zulkarnain Md. Eusope, Abdul Rahman Azubir and, Mohamad Mahil Ahmad.
The receivers of the Fellow Certified Planter membership award were Dato’ Dr. Mohamad Hashim Ahmad Tajudin, Dato’ Radin Rosli Radin Suhadi, Dr. Aris Ahmad and Mohd Jani Hashim.
A robing ceremony took place for all the recipients. They were also presented with a certificate and plaque for their respective award.
In his speech as the Captain of the Plantation Industry, Dato’ Sri Zainal Anwar Zainal Aminuddin who is also the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of THP, stressed the importance of embracing technology.
“The internet, drones, Artificial Intelligence, robotic automation — the industry must adopt and adapt to such changes”, he said. “This is to ensure the continuity of planters. The millennials are IT-savvy. That is one of the ways we should progress”, he added.
He describes IIPM’s existence and its role to develop human capital in the industry and elevate the standard of planters as “very timely”.
“Just as we have certified accountants, architects, and quantity surveyors, we now have certified planters.”
Tan Sri Dr. Ibrahim Shah, the former Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) played an important part in making IIPM a reality. In his speech, he also acknowledged those who were in it with him.
“No doubt, during its formative year, the services of the staff in the Faculty of Applied Sciences, UiTM, especially the Dean, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Kamal Harun, who was instrumental in making the submission (to the Companies Commission of Malaysia) very timely to the authority for approval. The efforts and hard work of all the people involved are deeply appreciated, especially Prof. Dato’ Dr.Nasruddin Othman”, he noted.
Datuk Zulkarnain Md. Eusope, the Chief Executive Officer of FELCRA Berhad, highlighted the issue of how the agricultural industry is undermined here in Malaysia.
“In making our way to achieving the status of a developed nation, we neglect the agricultural industry. Even the United States, a developed country, are putting a lot of focus on agriculture.”
“IIPM is a very important element to promote and enhance the industry. I support it very much.”
Dato’ Dr. Jalaluddin Harun, the Director General of FELCRA Berhad too expressed his support for IIPM and interest to keep working together.
“Forest plantation is very crude. This is where I believe IIPM has a big role to play.”
“We need to develop something significant and standard regarding forest plantation. We can sit down together, discuss how we can do it best and have certain areas looked deep into.”
Also present at the event were Datuk DaudAmatzin, the Deputy President of IIPM, Prof.Dr. Mohamad Kamal Hj. Harun, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Mara and Tamby Omar Mohamed, the Group General Manager of PKPS.
Background
The International Institute of Plantation Management (IIPM) is a professional body representing all sectors of the plantation industry in Malaysia. It is an offshoot of Universiti Teknologi MARA. Since its establishment in 2006, IIPM has been offering a wide range of services with the aim to upgrade the status of the professions in the plantation industry, provide a unique membership for the practitioners, assist in the members’ continuing academic, professional and career development, and serve as the reference centre in terms of human capital development for the industry. Besides human resource development, training and consultancy services, IIPM has also carried out research projects and organized national and international conferences.
Article of Fellowship Dinner & Membership Awards 2018