MARGMA_2nd Quarter 2018

NEWSLETTER | KDN: PP7855/02/2013 (031968) | FOR MEMBERS ONLY | 2nd Quarter 2018

An insightful time for UTAR students MARGMA NEWSLETTER

MARGMA sponsors educational event to provide students with a better perspective into the world of chemical engineering – Page 16

New Primary Industries Minister will focus on 4 areas to boost commodity sector

The government is taking steps to ensure that the commodity industry remains viable – Page 24

2nd Quarter 2018 PP7855/02/2013 (031968)

MRB: CHARTING THE FUTURE OF THE RUBBER INDUSTRY In an exclusive interview with MARGMA, director-general of Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) Dr Zairossani Mohd Nor, talks about the challenges of taking Malaysia’s rubber industry to the next level – Page 54-56

RASPERSE®

Dispersions & Emulsions

EZTONE®

EZCURE®

Color Pigments

Accelerators

TM

EZDON

EZSTRIP®

TM

EZCLEAN

Cleaning Agents

Donning Agent

RALOX®

TM

EZSTAB

Antioxidants

Surfactant

EZMIX® Antifoam

CEEBEE Chemicals Sdn. Bhd. (254522-T)

Anti-Tacks

EZWET®

Wetting Agents

ECARB® Fillers

No. 6, Jalan Wangsa Setia 4, Taman Wangsa Melawati, Gombak, 53300, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel: 60-3-4143 6688 Fax: 60-3-4143 6868 E-mail: cbc@ceebee.com.my URL: www.ceebee.com.my

eDITor’s nOte

From the editor’s desk...

Chow Yue Wah

L

ASt quarter, we stepped up our CSR efforts by being the sole sponsor of INSIGHt 2018, a four-day educational event organised by Universiti tunku Abdul Rahman (UtAR). through our generous donation, participants from the IChemE Student Chapter were able to gain a clearer and better understanding of the chemical process and engineering industry over the four-day programme.

In April, MARGMA held its 30th Annual General Meeting where important issues were discussed, one of which was extending the tenure of the MARGMA management committee from two years to three with the aim of allowing them more time to better carry out their duties. Prior to the AGM, as usual we organised informative Seminar talks on data & digitisation, data analytics, and tax audits & investigations.

As we gear up for the 9th International Rubber Glove Conference and Exhibition (IRGCE) 2018 to be held from September 4-6, MARGMA is proud to announce

that the Memorandum of Understanding of the 9th IRGCE was signed on May 31. We would like to thank all parties involved in organising and supporting this prestigious event that we hope will put us on the world map yet again.

With almost double the number of exhibition booths compared to 2016, the 9th IRGCE is expected to draw over 600 conference participants and more than 10,000 trade visitors. this year, the theme of the conference is ‘transforming technology, Driving Innovation’ and will highlight the latest trends and development within the rubber glove and medical device industries. technical papers will focus on process improvements, new usage and application of gloves, advances in lattices, updates on regulatory requirements and compliance, and green technology and waste management. With so much to offer, the IRGCE is indeed a monumental conference which will be held concurrently with the International Rubber Conference (IRC) 2018 and both events are not to be missed.

See you there in September!

EDITORIAL BOARD 2017-2019 EDITOR Mr Chow Yue Wah

CO-EDITOR Mr Chan Wone Fu

ADVISORS Mr Denis Low Jau Foo Dr Supramaniam Dr Tan Ah Seng Mr Edward Yip WRITER Mr Desmond Tang Tatt Mun

4 | marGma

ADMINISTRATOR Ms. Lee Siew Ling

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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this MARGMA newsletter are those of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the MARGMA Editorial Committee. Whilst every precaution has been taken to ensure the total accuracy of materials contained herein, no responsibility for errors or omissions will be accepted.

message from THE President

The President Writes…

Denis Low

The advantages of a natural and national advantage

I

t has often been said that the success of a nation almost always hinges upon its natural advantage of which, if properly managed and nurtured, becomes a national advantage. Our country has many resources; the land itself is fertile whilst the ground beneath has many minerals, oil and gas included. Its topography provides an ideal location for sea ports benefitting from a natural shield of adjacent landmass of other nations against the rougher elements of the seas.

We took great advantage from our fertile soil and clime and became the world’s largest producer of rubber and palm oil.

We were mere farmers until industry set in, and apart from rubber gloves, condoms and perhaps catheters, we did not take full advantage of our natural advantage by advancing further into downstream rubber-based activities. There are so many uses for rubber and if research

and development can be intensified and incentivised, for sure natural rubber can become a very lucrative crop. The same goes with palm oil; there are just not enough downstream activities.

Thus, it descends into a debate that in order to encourage industry, there must be a good ecosystem permeating throughout the private sector, government and investors alike. This ecosystem touches on the availability of materials, expertise, workers, incentives, and research & development and above all else, riding on the natural advantage of the nation. Industry and investments can be encouraged further by the availability of tax breaks and subsidy of sorts. If we have abundance of water, then water should be cheap and if we have natural gas and petroleum, then oil and gas should be similarly cheap. We must make use of these natural advantages to nurture and grow the industry. With industry providing the user element, farming becomes lucrative. And the multiplier effect goes on and on…

I am always surprised by economists who shrewdly advocate the removal of subsidies or the rationalisation of them.

The argument usually centres around the need to be self-sustainable without really calculating the employment generation, investments, taxes to be collected, other businesses such as the support services & material suppliers, logistics and financial providers as well. It is obvious that with the removal of subsidies, some money could be saved, but has any economist ever calculated that the savings can never ever measure up to the multiplier effects that incentivised the industry can generate for the country?

A very simple case in point is the RM16.2 billion revenue that the glove industry had brought in last year. This amount actually goes back into the banking system as all receivables have to go through them. More often than not, the bankers would also have given financial support to the industry in almost equivalent amount in terms of trade financing and for the construction of factories. The chain goes on and on, and the nation would gain from the employment of people and taxes to be collected from both the industry and the people.

Surmise to say, we are not asking to be subsidised, we are only promoting the need to take and make full use of our natural advantage. Our abundant natural gas should be made full use of to encourage industry.

We are advocating value adding and not just be an oil or gas seller. Where we were once just hewers of wood, today we can churn out the most beautiful furniture to the world.

Not forgetting that with the precious milk of a humble tree, we can turn it into one of the world’s most important product; remember

Natural advantage comes in many forms. Malaysia has a good mix of people, each with its own unique ability and niche. It has good leadership now and we must nurture all industries to be competitive and innovative and wherever and whenever there is a natural advantage, we should make full use of it.” that “when a child is born into the world, the first thing that he or she touches, is a pair of gloves”.

Natural advantage comes in many forms.

Malaysia has a good mix of people, each with its own unique ability and niche. It has good leadership now and we must nurture all industries to be competitive and innovative and wherever and whenever there is a natural advantage, we should make full use of it.

A ripple can only be felt, if you place your feet in the water, let us all get our feet wet and take full advantage of our natural and national advantages. Having this in mind, we should consciously nurture our natural rubber glove industry as the base material is from a renewable, sustainable, and biodegradable source for which we certainly have a natural, national, and even a regional advantage. We are also mindful of the need to sustain and maintain our cousin, the synthetic rubber glove business, as they too can depend on the natural advantage of our oil & gas availability.

We have a new government now and we believe that as we move along, things ought to be better. We must also allow Tun Dr Mahathir and his team some time and space to realign our nation to proper governance for the benefit of its citizenry. MARGMA is also fortunate to have a dynamic YB Teresa Kok as its Minister and we certainly look forward to working hand in glove with her team. marGma | 5

contents

4 5 10 11-15

Editor’s Note The President Writes News & Issues Events and News

28

Strong dollar benefits rubber-based manufacturers

Rubber stocks rebounded as investors turned to bargain hunting

30

What investors need to know about the rubber glove industry

Growing demand for rubber

gloves and a competitive edge provides an excellent platform for glove makers to expand

32 Malaysian rubber 16

18-23

CSR

An insightful time for UTAR students

MARGMA sponsors educational event to provide students with a better perspective into the world of chemical engineering

Report

Natural rubber and rubber glove industries’ trade performance

glove makers may benefit from US-China trade war

Proposed US tariffs on Chinese goods is advantageous to Malaysia

34

Top Glove plans more acquisitions to strengthen market share

Its executive chairman says

M&As will help the company grow faster and more efficiently

2 4-25

CURRENT AFFAIRS

New Primary Industries

Minister will focus on 4 areas to boost commodity sector

The government is taking steps

to ensure that the commodity industry remains viable

Government agrees to continue Rubber City project to help Kedahans

RM320 million was allocated for the project in the 2016 Budget to boost the rubber industry

36

Supermax adopts two-pronged method to propel growth

Glove company plans to replace

old production facilities while building new plants

26

Local News

Malaysia needs tax

incentives for IP protection

Pioneer status for

manufacturers is only for promoted products, not new products

6 | marGma

38

Kossan targets double-digit capacity growth in two years

The first company in the

world to produce halalcertified gloves is aiming to grow its halal glove segment

contents

40

Karex is on the lookout to expand its footprint

The world’s largest

condom maker is targeting to double its point of sales in the US to 24,000 stores

42

international news

US considers

replacing FDA QSR with ISO 13485

FDA is stepping up to

facilitate more streamlined and globally oriented registration requirements

44

US FDA proposes expanding the Abbreviated 510(k) Programme to speed up the approval process

The Expanded Abbreviated 510(K) programme for medical devices will provide faster market access and streamline FDA review activities

46 Indian tyre

manufacturer works with biotech company to develop dandelion rubber

BKT and Kultevat join forces to develop sustainable alternatives to natural rubber

Calvin Klein is selling pink rubber gloves for £385 Kitchen gloves could be the next fashion trend

49

Novel packaging turns condom shopping into an enjoyable experience

A Russian graphic designer transforms contraceptive packaging into works of art where a touch says it all

Condom brand

promotes safe sex with edible candy wrapper

5 2-53 MREPC

MREPC’s strategic

global position

MREPC’s international

offices help to strengthen its promotion of Malaysian rubber gloves in key markets

5 4-56

INTERVIEW

MRB: Charting

the future of the rubber industry

In an exclusive interview

47 Make natural rubber the fuel of the future

A professor suggests transforming natural rubber into renewable petrochemicals to raise natural rubber prices

5 8-60

60 days to submit comments on the proposed changedevice manufacturers

with MARGMA, director-general of Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) Dr Zairossani Mohd Nor, talks about the challenges of taking Malaysia’s rubber industry to the next level

technical paper

New legislation aims to

improve the safety of PPE on the market

The European PPE

Directive 89/686/EEC has now been superseded by Regulation (EU) 2016/425

48

ANVISA proposes easier market pathway for low-risk medical devices

Stakeholders will have

8 | marGma

6 2-65

promotion

IRGCE continues to

draw growing crowds

The 9th IRGCE 2018 is

a must-visit event for players in the rubber glove and rubber industry

NEWS & ISSUES

ASSOCIATION NEWS

MARGMA management committee meetings

New membership Associate Members

MALAYSIA • WHL Industries Solution Provider Sdn Bhd • Export Import Bank of Malaysia Bhd (EXIM) • Green World Recycling Sdn Bhd • Oritronic Sdn Bhd • M Prosper Sourcing & Inspection Sdn Bhd • Budget Champ Sdn Bhd • Innochemie Sdn Bhd CHINA • Ningbo Giant Bearings Manufacturing

April 21, 2018 (Friday) May 25, 2018 (Friday) June 25, 2018 (Monday)

INDUSTRY NEWS

Change of government THE 14th Malaysian general election was held on May 9, 2018 to elect members of the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) of the 14th Parliament of Malaysia. Malaysia’s main opposition, Pakatan Harapan led by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad along with the Sabah Heritage Party, won 121 seats in the Dewan Rakyat allowing them to form a majority government with Tun Dr Mahathir becoming the next Prime Minister. Thus, a change of government occurred for the first time in 61 years of Malaysian history.

Following the change of government at the conclusion of the General Election 2018, MARGMA Secretariat is monitoring the latest development in issues pertaining to MARGMA member-companies including foreign workers, review of the Minimum Wages Order 2016, and others.

of the RRM latex futures market.

MRB is also conducting a survey among the industry players on participation in the latex futures market developed by BMD.

Malaysian Medical Device regulations

THE Malaysian Medical Device Authority (MDA) has given official notice that registration requirements under the country’s Medical Device Act 2012 will come fully into force on July 1, 2018.

According to the MDA notice, all registration applications submitted to MDA on or before June 30, 2016 must be completed by June 30, 2018.

Many companies previously marketing

Employment Insurance System (EIS) MINISTER of Human Resources, Kulasegaran V. Murugeson stated in a media interview that the EIS would be maintained.

NR futures market of the Regional Rubber Market (RRM) THE Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) together with Bursa Malaysia Derivatives (BMD) is engaging its stakeholders in the rubber industry including MLIA, MARGMA, and MRPMA on the proposed development

10 | MARGMA

Natural gas tariff revision for non-power sector in Peninsular Malaysia (from

July 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018)

THE Energy Commission Malaysia issued a press statement on June 12, 2018 regarding the natural gas price revision. It states as follows:

Natural Gas Tariff Revision as announced

by Energy Commission on June 12, 2018

GST and SST THE government has announced that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) would be zero-rated from June 1, 2018 onwards, while the Sales & Service Tax (SST) would be implemented in October 2018.

their devices in Malaysia using Acknowledgment Letters, must therefore ensure that their MDA registration applications are processed in time in order to legally continue sales activities in the country.

(Source: www.emergobyul.com)

Tariff Category

Annual Gas Consumption (MMBtu)

Base Tariff for Jan 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018 to June 30, 2018 (RM/MMBtu)

Effective Tariff (after GCPT) for Jan 1, 2018 (RM/MMBtu) (RM/MMBtu) (A)

Base Tariff for July 1, 2018 to Dec 31, 2018 to Dec 31, 2018 (RM/MMBtu)

Effective Tariff (after GCPT) for July 1, 2018 (RM/MMBtu) (B)

(B vs A)

Percentage of Increase (%)

A

Residential

22.30

23.92

23.03

23.80

-0.5%

B

0 - 600

28.78

30.40

29.73

30.50

0.3%

C

601 - 5,000

28.93

30.55

29.88

30.65

0.3%

D

5,001 - 50,000

29.22

30.84

30.19

30.96

0.4%

E

50,001 - 200,000

30.48

32.10

31.49

32.26

0.5%

F

200,001 - 750,000

30.48

32.10

31.49

32.26

0.5%

L

Above 750,000

31.50

33.12

32.55

33.32

0.6%

30.90

32.52

31.92

32.69

0.5%

Average

EVENTS & NEWS

APR 21

SATURDAY

30th Annual General Meeting (AGM) & Seminar Talks 2018

M

ARGMA held its 30th Annual General Meeting (AGM) & Seminar Talks at One World Hotel, Petaling Jaya on April 21, 2018. A total of 56 member companies, both local and overseas, attended the event which began with Seminar Talks by three charismatic speakers from diverse backgrounds.

The first speaker, Jimmy Koh from United Overseas Bank delved into the topic of ‘Data and Digitisation Across Industries - How Banking Thinks About It’.

He shared how data analytics can provide sector solutions that affect how we do business in the future. The next speaker, Carmen Thong from the Malaysia Digital

Economy Corporation talked on the topic of ‘Data Economy: The New Frontier’. She discussed how data technology adoption could help companies reduce their costs and increase productivity. The final speakers of the day, Jason Tan and Ivy Ling from Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill highlighted the extent of the power of the Internal Revenue Board and GST enforcers to examine companies suspected of tax fraud in their talk entitled ‘Managing Tax Audits & Investigations’.

The seminar talks were followed by a short question-and-answer session before proceeding to the main agenda, MARGMA’s AGM for year 2018.

MARGMA president Denis Low delivered his opening remarks before chairing the meeting alongside vice-president, Dr Supramaniam, interim treasurer Edward Yip, and CEO Chan Wone Fu. The usual affairs were reported and approved, along with two resolutions proposed by Danny Ong Chong Yen (Koon Seng) and seconded

by Edward Yip Tuck Wah (Kossan).

A proposal was made to change the tenure of the MARGMA management committee from two years to three with the aim of allowing the current management committee more time to better carry out their duties and efforts. The proposal was approved with strong majorities.

MARGMA | 11

EVENTS & NEWS

MAY 3

THURSDAY

Tea-talk with NFIA MARGMA organised a joint tea-talk with the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA) at the MARGMA Office. The talk which was chaired

by MARGMA president Denis Low, focused on the following: (1) ‘The Netherlands as a Base for European Operations’ by Elmar Bourma, Director for South East Asia and Australia, NFIA (2) ‘The Netherlands: Your Logistics Gateway’ by Remco Buurman, CEO of Holland International Distribution Council (3) ‘Distribution into the European Market via Port of Rotterdam’

by Martin Ouwerkerk, Head of Commercial Department, Port of Rotterdam

MAY 4

Technical discussion on ‘Functional Nano Fillers for Rubber Gloves’ PROFESSOR Michael Tam, professor and university research chair at the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, paid a visit to the MARGMA Office.

In conjunction with his visit, MARGMA organised a technical discussion session on ‘Functional Nano Fillers for Rubber Gloves’ chaired by vicepresident Dr Supramaniam. The session was attended by engineers and technical specialists from MARGMA member companies.

12 | MARGMA

FRIDAY

EVENTS & NEWS

MAY 7-8

MONDAY - TUESDAY

2018 World Rubber Summit THE International Rubber Study Group (IRSG), in collaboration with the Ministry of Plantation Industries from the government of Sri Lanka, organised the World Rubber Summit (WRS) 2018 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

MARGMA was represented by CEO Chan Wone Fu who presented a paper entitled ‘Sustainability Challenges in the Rubber Glove Industry’. The presentation provided an overview of the industry, MARGMA’s role, how the Malaysian rubber glove industry achieved its world’s no.1 status, manufacturing challenges, and the key drivers to sustainable growth.

MAY 11

MAY 31

FRIDAY

Europe Day 2018 Reception – ‘Year of Cultural Heritage’ THE head of delegation of the European Union to Malaysia, H. E. Ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez, cordially invited MARGMA to the Europe Day 2018 Reception – ‘Year of Cultural Heritage’. The reception was held at JW Marriot Hotel, Kuala Lumpur and was attended by MARGMA president Denis Low.

FRIDAY

MRPMA Annual Dinner and Seminar 2018 MRPMA held its Annual Dinner and Seminar 2018 at Top Glove Tower, Setia Alam. The event was attended by MARGMA vice-president Dr Supramaniam, Danny Ong, Lee Keat Leong, Felix Darrel, Lim Sing Poew, Raymond Ong, Dr Tan Ah Seng, and Chan Wone Fu.

MAY 11

MAY 19

SATURDAY

Interview with Frost & Sullivan FROST & Sullivan conducted a phone interview with MARGMA president Denis Low. The interview centred on the latest developments in the rubber glove industry.

THURSDAY

9th IRGCE 2018 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Signing Ceremony THE Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of the 9th International Rubber Glove Conference and Exhibition (IRGCE) 2018 was signed by the organising chairman, the co-host, and key sponsors at One World Hotel on May 31, 2018.

Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB) director-general Dr Zairossani, Malaysian Rubber Export Promotion Council (MREPC) CEO Low Yoke Kiew and MARGMA president Denis Low jointly witnessed the signing ceremony. MARGMA’s committee members and secretariat, along with the International Rubber Conference (IRC) organising committee were also present to witness the significant event.

The MoU seeks to establish the valuable support Continues page 14 MARGMA | 13

EVENTS & NEWS

MAY 31

THURSDAY

From page 13

of the co-host, the MREPC and key sponsors – Top Glove, Chempro Technology, Careplus, WRP, YTY, Hartalega, Supermax, Aquaspersions, Synthomer, Tiong Tat, Smart Glove, Kossan, and Latexx Partners.

MREPC CEO Low Yoke Kiew said, “MREPC is looking forward to getting more members to participate in the 9th IRGCE by having a special incentive of RM12,000 per company if they participate in more than two booths.”

The event included a presentation on the rubber glove industry and upcoming 9th IRGCE & IRC 2018 by vicepresident Dr Supramaniam

14 | MARGMA

and 9th IRGCE chairman Lim Kwee Shyan, respectively.

Lim said, “The IRGCE is the meeting point for international speakers and scientists who come to share their knowledge about the rubber industry, to pave the way forward for the future of the industry.”

This year’s 9th IRGCE, held over three consecutive days from September 4-6, 2018 will be the world’s largest rubber glove event, as it is held concurrently with the IRC 2018.

MARGMA would like to extend its sincere gratitude to all those who have lent their support in various forms to help the IRGCE spur the progress of the global rubber industry.

EVENTS & NEWS

JUNE 5

TUESDAY

Officiation of ‘Rub’A Paint: From Trees to Art Gallery’ MALAYSIAN Rubber Board (MRB) in collaboration with Balai Seni Visual Negara (BSVN) organised an art exhibition themed ‘Rub’A Paint: From Trees To Art Gallery’.

The show ran from June 4-24, 2018 while the officiation ceremony took place on June 5, 2018 at the Creative Space, Balai Seni Negara, Kuala Lumpur.

The show was an initiative by

MRB to promote a made-in-Malaysia rubber-based painting medium called ‘Getah Colour’. The new medium uses 30% natural rubber and represents a breakthrough in the use of rubber which is environmentally–friendly.

The show featured the artworks of 17 artists from Malaysia, Singapore, and Myanmar/Thailand. MARGMA was represented at the event by vicepresident Dr Supramaniam.

JUNE 26-29

TUESDAY - FRIDAY

UTAR — INSIGHT 2018 MARGMA was the sole sponsor of INSIGHT 2018, a four-day programme organised by the UTAR IChemE Student Chapter at the UTAR Sungai Long Campus.

The event was aimed at providing students with the opportunity to network with members of the industry and expose them to the field of chemical engineering.

View the full report on page 16.

MARGMA | 15

CSR

An insightful time for UTAR students MARGMA sponsors educational event to provide students with a better perspective into the world of chemical engineering

M

ARGMA was the sole sponsor of INSIGHT 2018, a four-day event organised by the UTAR IChemE Student Chapter at Sungai Long Campus from June 26-29, 2018.

The event showcased exhibitions, technical workshops, talks, and competitions aimed at giving students an insight into the field of chemical engineering and the chance to network with members of the industry.

The opening ceremony held on June 26, 2018 was attended by UTAR vice- president (R&D and Commercialisation) Prof Ir Dr Lee Sze Wei, MARGMA vice-president Dr Supramaniam, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKCFES) Dean Prof Ir Dr Goi Bok Min, Insight Advisor Dr Ng Yee Sern, MARGMA delegates, exhibitors, UTAR staff and students.

A total of 17 companies including MARGMA, Malaysian Flour Mills Bhd, IKA Works (Asia) Sdn Bhd, and Ocned Water Technology Sdn Bhd participated in the exhibition.

In his welcome speech, Dr Supramaniam said, “We are delighted to be associated with this event. Being able to put together an exhibition of this nature, especially in

16 | marGma

chemical engineering, is very impressive. It is not an easy task to get the private sector from actual companies to be involved.”

He also encouraged the students to apply for the internship programme with MARGMA. “You need to get your hands dirty. It’s a huge learning experience that you will not get anywhere else,” he said.

INSIGHT 2018 was aimed at elevating the awareness of chemical engineering among UTAR students by providing them with a platform to experience and get a clearer picture about chemical engineering in various ways.

On the first day of the event, exhibition booths set up by private companies exposed the students to job opportunities available

in the area of chemical engineering. It also aimed at providing company employers with the opportunity to recruit potential future engineers to join their organisations.

On the second day, a talk titled ‘Produce Recycled Water from Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) and Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) using Modern Bio-Technology’ was delivered by the honorary secretary of the Association of Environmental Consultants & Companies of Malaysia, William Tan. During the IKA Technical Talk & Workshop, Goh Yun Qiang shared about auto distillation using the IKA RV10 Auto Pro Rotary Evaporator, while Dr Senthivel and Ui Tee Cheah talked about Innovative IKA Mixing Technology for industrial applications. An interesting demonstration on mayonnaise production was also performed on-the-spot.

On the third day, a carnival was held featuring 10 booth games including Twister Pipe Exploration, Clairvoyance, and Darting Championship to reveal extracurricular knowledge on chemical engineering in a creative manner. Students who participated in the games were given a goodie bag each and stood a chance to win the grand prize.

A Plant Design Modelling Competition was also held to provide the students with better understanding in plant design. The competition saw the students building three-dimensional plants using recycled materials, according to the topic given – ‘Converting biomass to biodiesel via Fischer-Tropsch’.

The winning group who called themselves ‘One In A Million’ took home RM500, while the first runner-up won RM300. As a bonus, MARGMA generously topped up both the winners’ prizes on the spot with an additional RM1,000 to reward their excellent efforts. Consolation prizes were also given to the third, fourth, and fifth place winners.

INSIGHT 2018 ended with an appreciation dinner on the fourth and last day, which was attended by 250 people including MARGMA president Denis Low, MARGMA delegates, (LKCFES) Dean Prof Ir Dr Goi Bok Min, LKCFES Deputy Dean Dr Lim Jee Hock, lecturers, staff, students and alumni. The dinner also provided a platform for the students to build and strengthen connections among one another. The night was filled with singing performances and piano recitals.