15/04/2025

TUESDAY | APR 15, 2025

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Students on mission to save planet from synthetic dyes

Work on sports complex in Gual Ipoh to begin soon TANAH MERAH: The dreams of people in Tanah Merah, especially in Gual Ipoh, to have a sports complex is now almost a reality as the first phase of the project has been slated to start in early May. The sports complex will be built on a 6ha plot that has been gazetted as a recreational and leisure reserve. It is strategically located near mosques, police stations, clinics, Rural Transformation Centres and major towns. Kelantan State Youth, Sports and Unity, NGOs and Community Unity Committee deputy chairman Bahari Mohamad Noor said the first phase of the project involves the construction of a football field, complete with a pavilion, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year. He said a sum of RM200,000 has been approved by the state government for construction works. “The field will be equipped with floodlights to enable sports activities at night as well as a race track,” he said at the Gual Ipoh Sports Complex project site recently. Bahari said the complex would include sepak takraw courts, futsal courts, main halls, surau , children’s playground and kiosks when it is fully completed. “The management of this complex will involve the cooperation of the Tanah Merah District Council which is experienced in the maintenance of such facilities. “At the moment I cannot say the total cost of development, but what is important is that the land has been gazetted for leisure and recreation, and that is a big step. “I have written a letter to the Youth and Sports Ministry. If we get assistance at the federal level, the development of this complex will be faster.” Meanwhile, local resident Muhammad Shukri Abd Rashid, 60, said the complex is expected to bring economic benefits. “It will open up opportunities for residents to do business as many tournaments and sports activities can be organised here.” – Bernama

o Three schoolmates create machine to merge water marbling techniques with robotics to create eco-friendly patterns, aiming to reduce pollution

KUALA LUMPUR: When Yevgen Ngui noticed colours fading from his football jersey, revealing the synthetic dyes commonly used in the textile industry, the 11-year-old boy became conscious and passionate about protecting the environment and saving the planet. Curious about what caused the change, he began researching synthetic dyes and uncovering their toxic nature and the serious harm they pose to aquatic life and humans. It inspired Yevgen and his Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan (C) Jalan Davidson schoolmates Yeoh Zi Jian, 12, and Celeste Tan, 10, to create the “Marbling Robot for Sustainable Future (MarBot4SF)”, a machine that merges water marbling techniques with robotics to create stunning, eco-friendly patterns, aiming to overcome environmental and health complications caused by the usage of synthetic dyes in the fashion and textile industry. “I researched it on the internet and found that synthetic dyes are harmful to aquatic life and human health. So, I wanted to make a robot that can use natural pigment dyes instead of synthetic dyes so that they will not continue harming the environment,” he said at the Malaysia Open House Exhibition @ Asean KL 2025 here recently. Zi Jian, who has loved art since Year 4, sparked the idea to merge art with modern robotics which led to the invention of MarBot4SF. “I really wanted to combine art and technology. While brainstorming, I remembered that in Year 4, we learned about water marbling, and that (technique) is what I wanted to combine with technology. “The element of sustainability helps revolutionise the fashion industry and make a better world.” Similarly, Celeste found inspiration online when she came across articles about how the fashion and textile industry is one of the leading water polluters. “I wanted to create something that could combine art and technology so it could solve environmental problems, and then we came up with MarBot4SF. “This can help reduce the environmental impact on textile printing and creates beautiful

(From left) Yevgen, Zi Jian and Celeste proudly showing their art work using MarBot4SF at the Malaysia Open House Exhibition @ Asean KL 2025 held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. – BERNAMAPIC

“We spend a lot of time on our projects, even during weekends and holidays. If students are willing to come back and spend time working on projects rather than going out with their friends, it motivates us to help them.” Their invention took them to places, including the World Robot Olympiad in Turkiye and the World Robot Competition in Indonesia. They bagged the gold and silver medals at the National Robotics Competition last year.

and natural patterns on fabric,” she said. Behind their success is teacher and project adviser Ong Yun Naam Adrian, 34, who said despite not majoring in robotics studies in university, the students inspired him to venture more into this field and help them realise the project, Bernama reported. “It was through the school that I was introduced to robotics. Working with the students made me realise that sometimes it is not only about textbook learning.