MRSM duo didn’t win Swiss invention award, teacher clarifies
NST
KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 — A news report claiming two Mara Science College (MRSM) students had won the 2016 Geneva International Convention of Invention for their salt water-driven power bank was mistaken, their teacher clarified today.
State news agency Bernama reported four days ago that the two form five students, Ahmad Aqil Ariffin and Ahmad Luqmanul Hakim Ahmad Tarmizi, won the gold medal by supposedly beating other countries to the best invention award at the convention.
But the teacher who accompanied the two to the convention, Anuar Ghani, said the gold medal was given to any team that scored enough points to qualify and did not indicate that they won the best invention award.
“I think the media got it wrong,” Annuar told Malay Mail Online when contacted.
“Yes, we did win the gold medal. But the gold medal is based on merits. Say, a project scored enough points, then we win the gold,” he added.
The Malaysian contingent did, however, win a special award from Egypt, which Annuar said may have caused the confusion.
He explained that the award was given on the sidelines and separate from the main competition.
“It’s like, say, Egypt’s science committee are interested in our project, so they give us that award. But I think the media misinterpreted it to be an award for the overall contest”.
The two students had been feted upon arrival at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport from Geneva on April 21.
The salt water-driven power bank they designed was part of the 14 projects submitted by the Malaysian contingent there.
The power bank that is capable of producing up to 6.5V in power was said to be user-and environment-friendly. The only three components used for the energiser are coal, aluminium and salt water.
Ahmad Asyraf, from Pasir Putih in Kelantan, said he was inspired to create the power bank because of the frequent power outage the family has to deal with during flood season in the state.
Bernama reported that the power bank project had drawn interest from several countries.
