MRB Executive Appointments ...
Dr Alias Othman----Rubber Physicist, Appointed as Director of Chemistry and Technology Division (CTD).
Rubber physicists are good and prolific contributors of scientific articles, Dr Alias being one, has more than 40 articles to his credit in the area of physics, engineering and testing. Besides
the Journal of Natural Rubber Research/Rubber Research, he has published in the journals of Wear, Polymer Testing, Plastics, Rubber and Composites: Processing and Application etc., and presented papers in international and national conferences and seminars.
Dr Alias, the former Head of the Rubber Products Testing Unit, took over as Director of CTD from Dr Yusof Aziz in July 2006. He is a dedicated and an active scientist and inventor and has been associated with the rubber industry since 1973, when he was awarded the Malaysian Rubber Research and Development Board Scholarship to read a degree in polymer science and technology at the National College of Rubber Technology, London. Between1976-1978 he was working--in the Applied Chemistry Division of the Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia (RRIM)--on the production of SMR CV and investigating new techniques of converting the high viscosity RSS into low viscosity materials. Dr Alias was attached to the Malaysian Rubber Producers’ Research Association, London from 1980 -1982 where he was conducting research in the area of NR compounding, engineering properties particularly stress-strain behaviour of vulcanisates. He obtained his Masters degree in Polymer Engineering from the Imperial College of Science and Technology, London in 1983.
Upon his return to the RRIM Technology Centre at Physics and Engineering Division he was involved in the R&D related to rubber in engineering and effect of naturally occurring non-rubbers; the localization of rubber parts for the national car PROTON; development of replacement engineering rubber parts for Malayan Railways; development of test methods and equipment for rubber and rubber products; quality assurance testing activities of engineering rubber products such as bridge bearings and dock fenders; ISO 9000 assessment and accreditation of testing laboratories (ISO 17025).
While on study leave between 1991-1994 at the Loughborough University of Technology, UK, he pursued a PhD degree on ‘A Novel Tensile Stress Relaxation Test’ and factors affecting relaxation behaviour of unfilled and filled natural rubber vulcanisates; and obtained his doctorate in March 1994. Undertaking R&D related to rubber in engineering, ISO 9001 certification and ISO 17025 accreditation were his main pre-occupation in 1994-1997 and from then on to 2004 he was managing the Physical Testing Laboratory in the Rubber Products Testing Unit. Here he was involved in testing and calibration; ensuring that SAMM S1 and S2 (i.e. Skim Akreditasi Makmal Malaysia, ISO 17025 accreditation) requirements are met; co-ordinate and managing Quality Control/Quality Assurance testing for Malaysian Rubber Industries; led the laboratory quality improvement and equipment/test methods development program; chaired working groups for the development of Malaysian Standard: Method of Test for Rubber and Rubber Products, JKK ISO TC 45 (mirror committee), and ASEAN Consultative Committee on Standard and Quality for rubber-based product (ACCSQ-rbpwg). He was the “ISO Quality Man” of the Malaysian Rubber Board responsible for managing, coordinating, implementing, documenting and auditing matters related to ISO 9001 and ISO 17025. He was instrumental for LGM in gaining the ISO 9001 certification from MAMPU in 2000 and for LGM to be accredited (ISO17025) for calibration services in 2004. He is the technical assessor for Department of Standard Malaysia and the leader of Malaysian delegate at the ISO TC 45 (rubber and rubber products) annual meeting.
He was also actively involved in consultancy activities related to PROTON, Penang Bridge Project, Malaysian Railways, evaluation of special latex poperties (with Linatex Rubber Products Sdn Bhd), engineering rubber product testing/sampling of automotive rubber component for EBCO, USA (2003) & Jebco Sdn. Bhd and ISO 17025 quality management system for Rivertex Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Industrial Technical Institute (ITI), Sri Lanka.
Dr Alias won the following awards in R&D/inventions, publications and contribution to the industry:
- Petronas Inventor’s Award (1994)
- Gold Medal (Materials); Mindex/Innotex ’95 (now called I-Tex)
- Gold Medal; World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 1995
- Bronze Medal; International Exhibition of Inventions, Geneva (1996)
- ‘Maulidul Rasul 1420’ Award by the Malaysian Government (1999)
- Best technical Paper (MRB) in 2000 and 2005
- ‘Kesatria Mangku Neggara, (KMN) from Yang DiPertuan Agong Malaysia (2008)
The job as the Director of the division will involves co-coordinating R&D and technical support services in the processing and downstream activities in the following Units of MRB:
- Latex Science and Technology
- Advanced Rubber Technology
- Engineering and Product Design
- Processing and Pollution Research
- Product Testing and Quality
- Material Characterisation
- Technical Advisory and Information
- Chemical and Materials Exploratory