KKTSS USM DIRECTOR’S OFFICE HANDS OVER 320 SUSTAINABILITY BAGS TO FIVE HEALTH AGENCIES ACROSS THREE STATES

NIBONG TEBAL, 17 August 2026 - The Office of the Director of Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Engineering Campus (KKTSS), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), through the Banner to Bag (B2B) Sustainability Bag Handover Programme, handed over 320 bags made from repurposed used banners to several health agencies in Penang, Perak and Kedah.

The B2B initiative reflects the KKTSS Director's Office's efforts to promote reuse by transforming unused promotional materials into functional products that can benefit the community.

The handover, led by KKTSS Campus Director Professor Ir. Dr. Mariatti Jaafar @ Mustapha, involved the Seberang Perai Selatan (SPS) District Health Office, Sungai Acheh Health Clinic, Kerian District Health Office, Bandar Baharu District Health Office and the KKTSS USM Health Unit.

According to Professor Ir. Dr. Mariatti, the initiative was introduced to ensure that banners used for various campus programmes do not end up as waste but are instead given a new and practical purpose.

“We produce many banners for programmes and activities on campus. Therefore, we took the initiative to transform them into reusable bags for various purposes, including carrying medical supplies,” she said.

She added that the initiative is in line with USM's commitment to sustainability, which is an important component of the University's agenda and has contributed to USM's standing in global sustainability rankings.

Meanwhile, Chief Assistant Registrar at the Director's Office, Mohd Kamil Ashar, said the B2B programme is one of the sustainability initiatives implemented at KKTSS in support of USM's sustainability agenda.

“The programme began on 1 March 2026, and approximately 1,500 used banners have been collected, with 320 bags completed,” he said.

“This is a pilot project, and the production of the bags will continue based on demand and needs. Some of the bags are also planned to be channelled to Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital (HUSM) in Kelantan,” he added.

During the handover session, Seberang Perai Selatan District Health Officer, Dr. Mas Harithulfadhli Agus Ab Rahman welcomed the initiative, describing it as beneficial to the healthcare sector and the community.

“This handover marks the beginning of a good collaboration between USM and the health sector. We also organise various programmes and can explore how this initiative can be adopted and serve as an example for future programmes at our clinics,” he said.

“Moreover, efforts to reduce the use of single-use materials such as these provide a good alternative,” he added.

Meanwhile, Kerian District Health Officer Dr. Rozaimah Abu Talib described B2B as a meaningful initiative with potential to strengthen collaboration between the campus and the health sector.

She said the contribution would benefit clinics and patients, while expressing her appreciation to USM for selecting the Kerian District Health Office as one of the recipients despite being located in a different district.

A total of 50 bags were handed over to the Seberang Perai Selatan District Health Office, with another 50 bags allocated for use at the Sungai Acheh Health Clinic. Another 100 bags were handed over to the Kerian District Health Office, 100 bags to the Bandar Baharu District Health Office and 20 bags to the KKTSS USM Health Unit.

Text: Siti Faizah Abd Halim / Photos: Muhammad Taufik Abdul Rahman