USM CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCHOOL HOSTS LESTARI FUN RUN 2025, DRAWS 257 PARTICIPANTS

NIBONG TEBAL, 22 November 2025 - A total of 257 participants, comprising 217 adults and 40 children, took part in the USM Lestari Fun Run 2025, organised by the School of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), here today.

Now in its second edition, the event featured two main categories, the 5km Fun Run and the 1km Kid’s Dash, and attracted participants from various age groups including adults, schoolchildren and young runners.

Dean of the School of Chemical Engineering, Prof Ir Dr Zainal Ahmad, said this year’s event served as part of the pre-celebratory programmes leading up to the 25th anniversary of the USM Engineering Campus @ Nibong Tebal, which will be celebrated in 2026.

He said the Lestari Fun Run was not merely a recreational activity, but a meaningful platform to bring together the campus community and the public in support of sustainability efforts.

“This programme also encourages active public participation in environmental conservation through a fun and healthy approach,” he added.

According to him, USM is celebrating an impressive milestone this year as it was ranked the best university in Malaysia and Southeast Asia, and is also placed among the top institutions in Asia in the THE Impact Rankings 2024.

“This achievement reflects the university’s strong commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which underpin various sustainability initiatives on campus,” he said.

He added that the event, themed “Run for a Greener Future”, aims to raise awareness on the importance of environmental preservation while promoting healthy living in line with the USMFIT policy.

“We hope this programme will continue to strengthen the relationship between USM and communities across Penang, Perak and Kedah through active participation in healthy and socially impactful activities,” he said.

Text: Siti Faizah Abd Halim / Muhammad Taufik Abdul Rahman