Mr Nobunari Kunimine (left), Senior Vice President of MEISEI & Co. Ltd., Tokyo and Datuk Dr Tan Chik Heok, President of TAR University College, at the MoA signing.

A technical discussion carried out in the Chemistry Laboratory on 4 April 2014. From left: Mr Khoo Hsien Tzuoo, Sales Executive of SUKA Chemicals (M) Sdn Bhd, Mr Can Sunal, Lead Scientist of MEISEI & Co. Ltd., USA, Assoc Prof Dr Ng Swee Chin, Dean of Faculty of Applied Sciences and Computing and Dr Chong Kian Wei, Principal Research & Senior Lecturer, TAR University College.

A Memorandum of Agreement (‘MoA’) was signed recently with MEISEI & Co. Ltd. (‘MEISEI’), a Tokyo-based organisation which supplies various chemical products to the chemical industry, as well as major industries such as synthetic resins, pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals, paper production, paints, photography, automotive, electric and electronics. In recent years, MEISEI has been actively offering high-value products by developing functional chemicals in the fields of electrochemistry, environment and life sciences.

The MoA signing, which occurred on 8 April 2014, will kickstart a project undertaken by TAR University College with MEISEI to carry out collaborative research work using solid calcinated palm oil waste to treat water contaminated with arsenic. The agreement of the collaborative research work between TAR University College and MEISEI is that all research work will be performed at TAR University College’s Faculty of Applied Sciences and Computing (‘FASC’) and MEISEI will sponsor the costs incurred in the performance of the project.

A technical discussion and lab visit was carried out on 4 April 2014 with representatives from MEISEI and SUKA Chemicals (M) Sdn Bhd, which is a partner of MEISEI in Malaysia. The representatives from both companies were much assured that TAR University College is able to carry out the required research after the lab visit. “FASC is more than capable for this project, and the Faculty has impressive analytical instruments and personnel to carry out the R&D work”, said Mr Can Sunal, the lead scientist from MEISEI, USA.

“This is a meaningful research that can help to improve water condition and bring benefits to the environment and this research project marks only the beginning of the collaboration between MEISEI, Japan, with TAR University College. There will definitely be more research activities that will follow suit”, said Assoc Prof Dr Ng Swee Chin, Dean of FASC.