Three Curtin Malaysia teams reach final of #ShellSelamatSampai Varsity Challenge

Miri – 14 September 2017 – Three teams of engineering students of Curtin University, Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) – Curtin U12, Innovative People and La Seguridad – were among five teams competing in the final of the #ShellSelamatSampai Varsity Challenge 2017 here yesterday.

The other teams were Roadgineers and Beyond Infinity from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam.

Each team presented their proposals for enhancing road safety before a panel of judges from Sarawak Shell Berhad, the Road Safety Department, the media and the Miri Resident’s Office.

U12’s project involved using electronic sensors across roads, an Arduinio processor and flashing LED lights to detect and warn of oncoming cars at blind junctions, while Innovative People proposed a blind spot detection system using light-emitting sensors and LED warning lights mounted on vehicles to warn drivers of any vehicles in their blind spots. Both teams have successfully tested working prototypes at the Curtin Malaysia campus with significant results.

La Seguridad’s project, meanwhile, involved a study of road hazards in the Desa Senadin area surrounding the Curtin Malaysia campus and mitigating them through the use of reflective road surfaces and signage. The project proved effective in alerting motorists of the hazards and caused them to exercise due caution when navigating them.

11 teams from Curtin Malaysia, UiTM Shah Alam and Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara (IKBN) Miri took part in the Challenge, which is an inter-varsity competition aimed at improving road safety behaviours amongst youths and making a significant difference in the way youths approach road safety. It empowers university students to embark on road safety projects that would contribute towards achieving zero road-related accidents among youth and motorcyclists.

The Challenge is organised by Sarawak Shell Berhad under its flagship road safety initiative #ShellSelamatSampai in collaboration with the Road Safety Department, Road Transport Department, Royal Malaysia Police, Malaysian Institute of Road Safety (Miros), Public Works Department, residents’ associations, local councils, local district offices as well as several schools, colleges and universities.

Upon submission of their project proposals, each participating team was given start-up funds of RM1,000 each to embark on 8-week project design and implementation phases. Shell staff were assigned to each team as mentors to monitor and supervise their progress.

At the end of their project implementation, the teams were required to submit their final reports and the best five teams were shortlisted for the final project presentations in the Grand Finale which was held at the Sarawak Shell Berhad Office here.

Officiating at the event was Datuk Sebastian Ting, State Assemblyman for Piasau. Present were representatives of the participating institutions, including Curtin Malaysia’s Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Beena Giridharan, Chief Operating Officer Kingsley Francis Charles, Dean of Faculty of Engineering and Science Professor Lau Hieng Ho and Dean of Students Dr Adeline Wong; Sarawak Shell Berhad’s General Manager for Health, Safety, Security & Environment (HSSE), Prithipal Singh; and Sarawak Road Safety Department Director Davinia Agnes Enteli.

Also present were representatives of the various government agencies involved in the #ShellSelamatSampai initiative in Sarawak.

Pipping the other teams to win the coveted champion’s trophy, certificates, medals and RM10,000 cash prize was UiTM Shah Alam’s Roadgineers.

First launched last year, #ShellSelamatSampai has reached out to over 40,000 members of the public and more than 10,000 students nationwide from 35 schools, including ten schools in Sarawak.

The Curtin Malaysia teams with Prof Giridharan, Prof Lau and Dr Wong.