By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 28: Young innovators from Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Long Sait in Baram made their school and State proud when they reached the grand finals of the Petrosains RBTX Challenge 2024.
In a statement today, their project, titled ‘The Irrigator’, demonstrated their science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) prowess while addressing the drought issues plaguing rice fields that are vital to their community’s livelihoods.
Each season, villagers face the challenge of dying crops due to water shortages and wildlife invasion.
The Irrigator automates crop watering, monitors plant health and uses a fence to keep animals away, ensuring better crop protection.
Participant Somsiellnia Zachary, 12, expressed her pride in the project, as it promises healthier crops and higher yields for her family and the wider Ulu Baram community.
Before the challenges in Kuala Lumpur, the team recently won the Tech4All category in Sarawak, gaining recognition for their innovative and community-focused solution.
Her teacher and advisor, Joshua, said this was the first time the school had sent students from Sarawak to participate in a prestigious competition like this.
He hoped his students would continue creating new ideas and innovative projects, further refining their work to benefit the community.
This year, Petrosains RBTX Challenge 2024 brought in a new addition called ‘Indigenous Culture & Technology’, a sub-category under the Innovation category, in which 267 Indigenous children from the Peninsula, Sabah, and Sarawak participated.
This effort reflected a collective commitment to digital inclusion and community development, empowering these Indigenous participants with vital STEM knowledge to innovate towards a more sustainable future.
It kicked off in May, with qualifying rounds in August and September, with the competition culminating in the Grand Finals on October 26 and 27.
Petrosains Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Ezarisma Azni Mohamad stated as the social impact arm of Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS), they are deeply honoured and humbled to be entrusted with the mission of inspiring and enhancing STEM literacy within our communities, both near and far.
“Petrosains RBTX Challenge is aligned with PETRONAS’ sustainability goals and its vision of being a progressive energy and solutions partner that enriches lives for a sustainable future,” he said.
This year, in its sixth edition, the robotics competition received an overwhelming response, with 1,952 teams and over 7,000 participants from Malaysia and other countries, including Brunei and Indonesia.
It stated that 437 teams were shortlisted as finalists, competing at Stadium Juara, Bukit Kiara, for top honours across three main categories: Innovation, Robo Sumo, and Robo Tracer.
Petrosains Board Of Directors chairman Nik Rosmanie Nik Mohamad was also present. — DayakDaily
