PENANG, 9 Feb. 2013 - Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) is committed in realising the goal of a tobacco-free campus environment, including cigarette smoke pollution, advertising, promotions, sponsorships, and the sales of cigarette. 

USM Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dato’ Omar Osman said the tobacco-free does not mean to stop its community from smoking on campus only but also to bring greater hope to release any form of ‘colonisation’ of tobacco. 

He said the Tobacco-Free USM project also aims to protect the campus community and visitors from the adverse effects of cigarette smoke exposure by developing a comprehensive tobacco-free policy. 

“USM will be giving its commitment and support to all parties to achieve this goal using its expertise and networks,” he said in a press conference after signing a memorandum of agreement (MoA) here today.

 The MOA involved a strategic collaboration with its partner the Health Promotion Board Malaysia (MySihat), Ministry of Health.

 MySihat was represented by its Chairman, Toh Puan Dato’ Seri Dr. Aishah Ong and its CEO, Datuk Dr. Yahya Baba while USM was represented by its Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Industry and Community Network), Prof. Dato’ See Ching Mey.

 Also present were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Prof. Muhamad Jantan, Director of USM Innovation & Commercialisation Office who is also the project Chairman, Prof. Rahmat Awang, USM principal officers and MySihat delegates.

 Omar also said that the Tobacco-Free USM project was carried out middle of last year with a RM 500,000 funding support from MySihat for a period of three years, from 2013 to 2015.

 He said the funding framework covers three aspects including capacity building and health promotion particularly tobacco control for USM students, preparation of promotional materials and advocacy as well as the launch of Tobacco-Free USM.

 “More than 80 percent of the total funding is for capacity building programmes involving 1,500 selected USM students who have undergone a volunteer programme organised by the USM Students Affairs and Development Division.

 “These students will go through three stages of intensive training including health promotion courses, tobacco-free initiative workshops and finally they have to perform community projects related to tobacco-free environment inside and outside the campus,” he said. - Text: Marziana Mohamed Alias / Photo: Mohd. Fairus Md.Isa / Translation: Yong Check Yoon