ID :
199076
Thu, 08/04/2011 - 08:09
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/199076
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DOWN TO EARTH IRONSMITH IN THE INNOVATION TRAIL
MELAKA (Malaysia), Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Ali Kassim will remember 16 July, 2011, for rest of his life as the day he got recognition for his innovation.
The Innovative Trail team that visited this ironsmith, recognised his innovation in the trade.
"Though I was quite shy, it was a proud moment for me because the ones in the group include datuk and professors, who have come all the way to see how I made the machete the kampung way," he told Bernama when asked how he felt when the Innovation Trail team visited his modest forge.
Ali, 59, has been making various types of machetes ever since he was 15, from his forge located right behind his home in Kampung Batu Gajah Pasir near Sungai Rambai.
The forge has no advanced machineries, but Ali has been producing metal tools on the basis of his physical strength and the skills he inherited from his father.
Apart from machetes, this innovative ironsmith also makes iron tools as per requirement, which includes knife for harvesting palm oil bunch, sickle for cutting grass and spear for de-husking coconut.
He looked a little uneasy when the television camera crew trained their lenses on him as he demonstrated how to make a traditional machete using the leaf spring from a truck's suspension.
"I can make up to eight 20 cm machetes per day if I work from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M.," he said, adding that he had no fixed output and it all depended on the orders placed by the customers.
Ali also makes machete handles from wood that he sources around the village, and often his choices are the 'angsana', 'ciku' and coconut tree.
"I'm ever ready to share the skills in making the machete with anyone keen to learn, especially the youngsters," he said, adding that this was the first time a group had visited him for appraising his work.
"I was told that after this visit I will receive assistance and I hope to expand this forge and equip it with modern machineries to make machetes," he noted.
TRAIL FOR INNOVATIVE MINDS AT THE GRASSROOTS
The innovation trail team comprises of researchers, scientists, patent experts, and officers from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and Malaysia Innovation Foundation (YIM).
They visit people at the grassroots to advise on the objective, approach and the outcome expected from their innovation. The Innovation Trail is the brainchild of MOSTI, Melaka State Government and YIM.
About 14 innovative products from eight locations in Melaka Tengah, Jasin and Alor Gajah districts were scrutinised by the Innovation Trail team during the three-day programme that began on July 15.
The other innovation products include hybrid fish pond, 'storm bullet' system to improve vehicle performance, 'Desa Cart'- a four-wheel drive cart made using secondhand engines for internal and recreational use, egg incubator and a water control alarm.
The team also saw pottery and keris (Malay dagger) making, and fireworks using bamboo - all made by villagers with innovation being the key element.
The team made a stopover at Politeknik Merlimau in Jasin, to check on the innovative products developed by the students with the help of their lecturers.
The students displayed products like the "RPS Fire Nozzle" to put out peat fire and fire at waste disposal sites, smart water trap, flexible signboard, and the 'asam pedas' (spicy and sour) stock cubes.
"Cooking too involves innovation, where through creativity different offerings can be prepared using the same ingredients," noted Redzuawan Ismail, who is better known as Chef Wan, during a creative cooking demonstration in connection with the Innovation Trail at the grounds of the Menara Taming Sari at Bandar Hilir here.
PRODUCTS WITH COMMERCIAL VALUE
YIM's Chief Executive Officer, Raslan Ahmad said that out of the 14
innovative products, 12 had the potential to be developed and this would be looked into by the team.
"I hope that we can identify talents in innovation at the grassroots level during the Innovation Trail that will be going around the whole nation," he said.
YIM is an entity under the patronage of MOSTI and is entrusted with the task of promoting and inculcating creativity and innovation among Malaysians, with the target being children, youth, women, rural communities, persons with disabilities and non-governmental organisations.
Raslan noted that YIM would help to enhance innovation at the grassroots, especially in developing pioneering models and commercialising innovation.
To boost the innovation trail at the community level, the first Innovation Trail cadet corps was established at Politeknik Merlimau.
He stated that all the information on the inventors and their innovative products would be made public by uploading the data on the foundation's portal http://www.yim.my/.
"We have prepared a portal where the inventor too can input his/her own details. So far we have the details on 125 inventors in numerous fields, including students, entrepreneurs, groups and individuals," he said.
The Innovation Trail team was also entertained by a creative night show by the students from Multimedia University, Universiti Teknologi Mara Kedah, Politeknik Merlimau, Briged Seni and guest artists.
True to its name, the Innovation Trail is positively highlighting the grassroot innovations being made by people like Ali in far flung villages and helping bring them long due recognition.
-- BERNAMA
The Innovative Trail team that visited this ironsmith, recognised his innovation in the trade.
"Though I was quite shy, it was a proud moment for me because the ones in the group include datuk and professors, who have come all the way to see how I made the machete the kampung way," he told Bernama when asked how he felt when the Innovation Trail team visited his modest forge.
Ali, 59, has been making various types of machetes ever since he was 15, from his forge located right behind his home in Kampung Batu Gajah Pasir near Sungai Rambai.
The forge has no advanced machineries, but Ali has been producing metal tools on the basis of his physical strength and the skills he inherited from his father.
Apart from machetes, this innovative ironsmith also makes iron tools as per requirement, which includes knife for harvesting palm oil bunch, sickle for cutting grass and spear for de-husking coconut.
He looked a little uneasy when the television camera crew trained their lenses on him as he demonstrated how to make a traditional machete using the leaf spring from a truck's suspension.
"I can make up to eight 20 cm machetes per day if I work from 8 A.M. to 5 P.M.," he said, adding that he had no fixed output and it all depended on the orders placed by the customers.
Ali also makes machete handles from wood that he sources around the village, and often his choices are the 'angsana', 'ciku' and coconut tree.
"I'm ever ready to share the skills in making the machete with anyone keen to learn, especially the youngsters," he said, adding that this was the first time a group had visited him for appraising his work.
"I was told that after this visit I will receive assistance and I hope to expand this forge and equip it with modern machineries to make machetes," he noted.
TRAIL FOR INNOVATIVE MINDS AT THE GRASSROOTS
The innovation trail team comprises of researchers, scientists, patent experts, and officers from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and Malaysia Innovation Foundation (YIM).
They visit people at the grassroots to advise on the objective, approach and the outcome expected from their innovation. The Innovation Trail is the brainchild of MOSTI, Melaka State Government and YIM.
About 14 innovative products from eight locations in Melaka Tengah, Jasin and Alor Gajah districts were scrutinised by the Innovation Trail team during the three-day programme that began on July 15.
The other innovation products include hybrid fish pond, 'storm bullet' system to improve vehicle performance, 'Desa Cart'- a four-wheel drive cart made using secondhand engines for internal and recreational use, egg incubator and a water control alarm.
The team also saw pottery and keris (Malay dagger) making, and fireworks using bamboo - all made by villagers with innovation being the key element.
The team made a stopover at Politeknik Merlimau in Jasin, to check on the innovative products developed by the students with the help of their lecturers.
The students displayed products like the "RPS Fire Nozzle" to put out peat fire and fire at waste disposal sites, smart water trap, flexible signboard, and the 'asam pedas' (spicy and sour) stock cubes.
"Cooking too involves innovation, where through creativity different offerings can be prepared using the same ingredients," noted Redzuawan Ismail, who is better known as Chef Wan, during a creative cooking demonstration in connection with the Innovation Trail at the grounds of the Menara Taming Sari at Bandar Hilir here.
PRODUCTS WITH COMMERCIAL VALUE
YIM's Chief Executive Officer, Raslan Ahmad said that out of the 14
innovative products, 12 had the potential to be developed and this would be looked into by the team.
"I hope that we can identify talents in innovation at the grassroots level during the Innovation Trail that will be going around the whole nation," he said.
YIM is an entity under the patronage of MOSTI and is entrusted with the task of promoting and inculcating creativity and innovation among Malaysians, with the target being children, youth, women, rural communities, persons with disabilities and non-governmental organisations.
Raslan noted that YIM would help to enhance innovation at the grassroots, especially in developing pioneering models and commercialising innovation.
To boost the innovation trail at the community level, the first Innovation Trail cadet corps was established at Politeknik Merlimau.
He stated that all the information on the inventors and their innovative products would be made public by uploading the data on the foundation's portal http://www.yim.my/.
"We have prepared a portal where the inventor too can input his/her own details. So far we have the details on 125 inventors in numerous fields, including students, entrepreneurs, groups and individuals," he said.
The Innovation Trail team was also entertained by a creative night show by the students from Multimedia University, Universiti Teknologi Mara Kedah, Politeknik Merlimau, Briged Seni and guest artists.
True to its name, the Innovation Trail is positively highlighting the grassroot innovations being made by people like Ali in far flung villages and helping bring them long due recognition.
-- BERNAMA
