19 February 2018 (Monday) – Five Malaysia Book of Records (MBR) recognitions received by the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) Director General (DG), Dato’ Dr Abd Latif Mohmod, has accomplished the institute’s target to attain 33 MBR in conjunction with its 33^rd anniversary this year.

Abd Latif posing with the five MBR certificates awarded.

On 2 February, Abd Latif received two MBR certificates from MBR Chief Operating Officer Christopher Wong at the FRIM Inc. launching ceremony. 

Earlier in January, MBR Deputy General Manager Mohamad Alex Edward presented three MBR certificates to Abd Latif at the DG’s office. The five MBRs that Abd Latif received were for the following achievements:

• First Forestry Scientist to Receive National Young Scientist Award,
• First Forestry Scientist to Receive Two National Science Awards,
• Youngest Forestry Scientist to Receive IUFRO Scientific Achievement Award,
• First Forestry Scientist to Receive Anugerah Tokoh Buku Penyelidikan, and
• First Forestry Scientist to Receive Anugerah Tokoh Penyelidikan dan Pembangunan (R&D).

FRIM and MBR representatives posing for a group photograph at the Acacia mangium House after the site inspection.

The FRIM DG won the Anugerah Tokoh Buku Penyelidikan (2015) and Anugerah Tokoh R&D (2016) presented by National Book Development Foundation (Yayasan Pembangunan Buku Negara) in recognition of his contribution in efforts to share scientific information through the production of more simple, easy-to-read Coffee-table books.

The plant material transfer guidelines book published by Lee and her team.

Two other MBRs that FRIM received recently are for the ‘First Plant Material Transfer Guidelines for Tropical Forest Species’ produced by FRIM biotechnology and biodiversity scientists led by Dr Lee Chai Ting; and for the ‘First Full-scale House Made of Acacia mangium Wood’ built by a group of researchers headed by Dr Hamdan Husain.