PUTRAJAYA, 11 Aug. – A few researchers and experts from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) are being appointed to several key positions by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) of the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM) to undertake the Water Sector Transformation (WST) 2040 project for the country.
The appointment announcement was made at the launching ceremony of Roadmap for the National Agenda on Water Sector Transformation 2040 (WST 2040) Development Study held on 6 August 2020 at Putrajaya Marriott Hotel, IOI Resort City, Sepang.
UTM academician and experienced researcher from Perdana Centre, Razak Faculty of Technology and Informatics, Prof. Dato’ Ir. Dr. Abu Bakar Jaafar was appointed as the chairperson of the Technical Committee for the WST 2040.
Besides Prof. Dato’ Abu Bakar, UTM water expert, Prof. Dr. Zulkifli Yusop was also entrusted to lead the Task Force on Virtual Water and Water Footprint. Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Water Security (IPASA), Prof. Dr. Zainura Zainon Noor and a senior lecturer from the Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying Dr. Muhammad Najib are together appointed as the Lead Subject Matter Experts for the Water Footprint.
In addition, the Associate Director of UTM International Kuala Lumpur, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norhayati Abdullah will serve as the Lead Subject Matter Expert for the Industrial Revolution (IR) 4.0 in the various Water Sub-sectors.
The Akademi Sains Malaysia (ASM) has been appointed as a strategic partner as well by the EPU to undertake the Roadmap Study Development for the National Agenda on Water Sector Transformation 2040 (WST 2040), the 20-month study which began on 2 May 2020 until 31 December 2021.
The WST 2040 Roadmap Study Development consists of eight component studies such as
Advocacy, Awareness, Capacity Building and public participatory platforms, Integrated Water Sector Data Centre, IR 4.0 in the various Water Sub-sectors, Water-Food-Energy Nexus, Virtual Water and Water Footprint, Climate Change Impact and Adaptation, Alternative Water Financing, and Water as an Economic Sector.
The National Agenda for WST 2040 aspires to transform the national water sector from one that empowers the economy to one that is dynamic and able to significantly contribute more to the country’s Gross Domestic Product.
This dynamic role as a new economic sector will not only directly enhance the employment opportunities in the water sector but also forge the nation’s science, technology and innovation development.
