Deputy Director General (R & D)
Dr Mohd Akbar bin Md Said, 49, has been appointed
the Deputy Director General (Research & Innovation) of the Malaysian Rubber
Board (MRB) beginning 1 April 2006. He succeeds Dato' Dr Kamarul Baharain
bin Basir who has been promoted to Director General, MRB beginning 1 January
2006.
As Deputy Director General (Research & Innovation),
he will be responsible for the direction, planning and strategies of research
and innovation in the MRB and will work closely with the Ministry of Plantation
Industries and Commodities, the Malaysian rubber industry and other agencies
with the objective of developing the rubber sector into a more dynamic industry,
increasing its productivity and viability, diversifying the industry product
range and increasing its competitiveness to meet new challenges and to obtain
value-added products from natural rubber.
Dr Akbar joined the Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia (RRIM) in 1979 after obtaining his Diploma in Agriculture from the Agriculture University Malaysia (Universiti Pertanian Malaysia - UPM). Later, he pursued his Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture also at UPM. He then proceeded to do his Masters Degree at Oklahoma State University from 1990 - 1992. Subsequently, he completed his PhD (Plant Physiology) at UPM in 2004.
He began his career with the RRIM as an Assistant
Research Officer. Over the 27 years of service at the Institute, now known
as the Malaysian Rubber Board (MRB), he was promoted to Research Officer
( in 1987) and in 2003, he became the Head of the Crop Management Unit.
Subsequently, he was promoted to the present post as Deputy Director General
(Research & Innovation).
Dr Akbar's experience in R & D is substantial especially in tapping and rubber exploitation systems. They include such areas as stimulation of latex, Low Intensity Tapping Systems (LITS), ethephon and gaseous stimulation as well as the promotion and expansion of LITS to local implementing agencies.
With his expertise and long experience in rubber tapping systems Dr Akbar has been involved as a consultant with various national as well as multinational firms.
Over the years, Dr Akbar has more than 50 papers to his credit, mostly on exploitation technology. In 2005, Dr Akbar received a gold medal during the International Innovation, Industrial Design & Technology Exhibition for his submission on G-FLEX (Inflatable Container for Natural Uptake of Gaseous Stimulant for Increasing Tapping Yield of Latex). In addition, he has also thrice ( in 1994, 1998 and 2004) won the service excellence award given by the Malaysian Rubber Board.