School wins big with low-cost 'sugarcane paper'

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Instar principal Azhari Tauhid surrounded by the Pecipta 2011 medal winners in Kuantan on Monday.

PEKAN: Students from the Tun Abdul Razak Integrated Boarding School (Instar) here won a gold medal and a special award for their invention of low-cost paper made from sugarcane bagasse (the fibrous remains after the juice is extracted).

The school also clinched a silver and two bronze medals in the competition held during the International Conference and Exposition on Inventions of Institutions of Higher Learning (Pecipta 2011) at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre last week.

Instar principal Azhari Tauhid said the success was unexpected as the students had only two months to complete their projects and prepare for the competition.

However, he said the school had help from the International Islamic University branch campus in Kuantan and Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) campus in Jengka.

At the same time, he said the students were also guided by Universiti Malaysia Pahang lecturer and inventor Abdul Syukor Abd Razak, who is known for his green technology innovations.

Form Four student, Nurul Nadiatul Shamimi Rusli, said she managed to developed the process to create low-cost paper from sugarcane bagasse with the help of UiTM staff.

"It's a simple but effective process that could help us recycle the sugarcane by-product, which is normally burnt or thrown at a dumpsite," said Nurul, who was assisted by teachers and friends.

She said the sugarcane paper was also more durable and could be used to produce hats, bags and souvenir items.

A sugar factory on average produces about three tonnes of wet bagasse for every 10 tonnes of crushed sugarcane but the high moisture content of between 40 and 50 per cent made it difficult to burn it or use it as fuel.

"I hope to create more products from the paper. At the same time, I will use a similar process to create environmentally friendly papers from other by-products," said Nurul, a first-time competitor.

Azhari said the silver medal was won by two Instar students who produced a fibreboard from oil palm fronds while the bronze medals were for an anti-inflammatory ointment produced from the touch-me-not plant (Mimosa pudica) and anti-pimple cream made from cloves.

He hoped the success would encourage more students to participate in similar competitions at the national and international levels.

Pecipta 2011 was organised by UiTM with the collaboration of the Higher Education Ministry and other public institutions of higher learning.

The conference, which is held every two years, showcases new products and inventions from international and local students.