Boost for maths and science

Thumbs up for maths: Idris (fifth from left) together with Prof Sharifah Hapsah, See and Prof Noor Azlan (third, fourth and sixth from left respectively), and some of the Olympiad participants (front row).

MALAYSIAN students will be able to improve and enhance their study and understanding of mathematics and science, thanks to ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc (ExxonMobil Malaysia), which has contributed RM444,500 towards the promotion of both the subjects .

The company presented RM334,500 to the Academy of Sciences Malaysia in support of the National Science Challenge, while RM110,000 was given to Pusat Permata Pintar Negara, which in turn would use the proceeds for the Malaysian contingent which is competing in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO).

“As a technology-based company, we believe that science, technology, engineering and mathematics form the cornerstone of any country’s socio-economic progress,” said ExxonMobil chairman and president See Kok Yew at the cheque presentation held recently at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

“Attracting young people to the study of mathematics and science is thus critical in ensuring that Malaysia’s growing technological needs can be met.”

Also present at the ceremony were Second Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh, UKM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali, ASM president Tan Sri Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Ali and Projek Permata Negara adviser Prof Tan Sri Dr Sharifah Hapsah Syed Hasan Shahabudin.

In his speech, Idris commended ExxonMobil Malaysia for its exemplary corporate social responsibility in support of Malaysia’s talent development efforts.

“It is with such initiatives that the private sector can help the Government to achieve its 60:40 targeted ratio in the Technical Science and Literature Policy by 2020.”

This year the challenge saw the participation of 2,891 teams from 363 schools nationwide. The semi finals will be held in August at Universiti Putra Malaysia, while the finals is to be held in October.

The team that comes out tops will join the academy’s delegation on a study visit to Stockholm and witness the prestigious Nobel Prize Award Ceremony in December.

Meanwhile, the Olympiad will be held in Cape Town, South Africa.

Each country is represented by six contestants and participants have to solve three mathematical problems within four and a half hours in each of the two days of competition.

From 12,000 participants, Anzo Teh Zhao Yang, Justin Lim Kai Ze, Khong Yi Kye, Shazryl Shafyz Zulrushdi, Tan Kin Aun and Yeoh Zi Song were chosen to make up the Malaysian contingent for this year.

Along with deputy team leader Irwan Iqbal Ihsanuddin, team leader Mohd Suhaimi Ramly has been training the boys for the past year.

“We’ve held a series of training camps. And we have weekly meetings where they do the mock tests.

“They’re already good at mathematics so the purpose of training is to sharpen their problem-solving abilities in time for the competition,” said Mohd Suhaimi.