29 October 2018 (Monday) – Journal of Tropical Forest Science (JTFS), published by Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), received the 2018 Publishing Encouragement Scheme (CREAM) Award for the category of High Impact Indexed Journal in Web of Science on 25 October.

FRIM Director General (DG) Dato’ Dr Abd Latif Mohmod received the certificate from the Ministry of Education Malaysia (MOE) Higher Education DG, Datin Paduka Ir Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir, at the Malaysia’s Research Star Award (MRSA) and 2018 CREAM Journal Recognition ceremony organised by the MOE Higher Education Department through the Malaysian Citation Centre. The event, held at the Sama-Sama Hotel Gateway Ballroom, KLIA, was officiated by MOE Secretary General Dato’ Dr Mohd Gazali Abas.

From left: Zuraidah, Siti Hamisah, Md Salleh and Abd Latif during the certificate presentation ceremony.	FRIM DG (left) and Sarifah posing for a photograph with certificates of recognition for JTFS.

JTFS is the only journal published by a research institute out of 22 journals by public and private universities that were selected for the CREAM award this year. The award is given in recognition of the accomplishment of local scholarly journals as an incentive for the improvement and enhancement of the journal’s international visibility.

Abd Latif expressed his deepest gratitude to all FRIM staff involved in supporting JTFS publication especially the former FRIM DGs Tan Sri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor and Dato’ Dr Abd Razak Mohd Ali.

He also thanked JTFS past and present editors such as Dr S. Appanah, Khoo Kean Choon, Ho Yuen Foon, Sarifah Kunju Ahmad, Dr Vimala Subramaniam and Dr Francis S.P. Ng who have strived to improve the quality of published articles; as well as all local and international researchers who support JTFS.

“I am grateful for this recognition. The journal also received recognition from the Malaysia Book of Records (MBR) in 2012 as the first scientific journal in Malaysia with impact factor. I believe both these recognitions will continue to encourage FRIM to produce more authoritative scientific articles in forestry research,” he said.

The MBR certificate for JTFS for being the first scientific journal with impact factor.

Also present were the Malaysian Citation Centre Head, Prof. Madya Dr Zuraidah Abd. Manaf; CREAM 2018 Technical Committee Chairman, Prof. Dato’ Seri Dr Md Salleh Yaapar and JTFS Editor, Sarifah from FRIM Technical Services Division.

The JTFS, first published in September 1988, is an international journal focusing on issues of tropical forest development, particularly in the management and utilisation of tropical forests. For more information on JTFS and its published articles, please visit https://www.frim.gov.my/publication/journal-of-tropical-forest-science-jtfs/.