KUCHING: The MARA Junior Science College (MRSM) Mukah will have a factory soon to change the role of sago in the local industry and provide opportunity for the rural folk to generate lucrative income.
Sago waste discharged by sago mills can be processed to produce sweet sago syrup.
The sweetness of sago waste that can be found floating in rivers in Mukah had prompted MRSM Mukah teachers and students to undertake research and development.
As a result, MRSM Mukah on Monday received a grant of RM50,000 for the setting up a ‘Gulago’ factory. The research project by team had won an innovation competition recently.
The grant was provided by the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (MOSTI) through the Yayasan Innovasi Malaysia (YIM) under the High Impact Project of commercial value.
Nur Shuhada Abdul Hakim, who represented MRSM Mukah when contacted, said the grant was provided under special programme for the commercialisation of innovative product that could give impact on the local community.
“We aim to produce 150 bottles of ‘Gulago’ and sell it at RM3.50 a bottle.
“Gulago can be the alternative to honey for vegetarians and also alternative to ‘gula apong’ or ‘gula melaka’,” said Shuhada.
The Form Five student of the college said a factory would be set up at Kampung Tellian on a piece of land belonging to Nicholas Lajo who had assisted them to develop the product.
The MRSM Mukah team, which comprises Shuhada and Eunice Johny with Qaireen Elissia Agun the supervsing teacher, won gold medal and Best Award Winner at the Malaysian Expo 2017.
