UniMAP's innovative railway sleeper can attract Thailand's rail industry

KANGAR: An innovative railway sleeper, the result of a research initiative by the Centre of Excellence Geopolymer and Green Technology (CEGeoGTech), Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) is expected to attract the interest of Thailand's rail industry players.
In a statement issued here today, UniMAP said the research product by Meor Ahmad Faris Meor Ahmad Tajuddin and Dr Rozyanti Rahman had been entered for the four-day International Intellectual Property Invention, Innovation and Technology Exposition (IPITEX 2018) in Bangkok which would end tomorrow.
UniMAP's head of delegation to the exposition, Assoc Prof Dr Mohd. Mustafa Al-Bakri Abdullah said the innovation was in line with the initiative between the Malaysian and Thailand governments, which were still discussing the building of a high-speed rail connecting Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok.
"This research outcome has indirectly opened up opportunities to improve the quality of railway sleepers to be used for the (high-speed rail) project.
"This is because the product involves the technology of using fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) , a composite material made from kenaf and glass fibre, to replace the existing use of timber sleepers due to its higher quality and durability," he said in the statement.
IPITEX 2018 was officially opened by Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister, ACM Prajin Juntong. Besides Malaysia, the more than 20 participating countries also include China, Poland, Indonesia, Iran, United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Canada, South Korea, Philippines, Romania, Taiwan and Hong Kong. — Bernama