SYNOPSIS   

The agricultural engineering profession is evolving rapidly with the advancement of digital technologies, smart agriculture, sustainability, and climate-resilient solutions. This half-day virtual forum aims to provide engineering students, young graduates, practising engineers, academics, researchers, and industry professionals with valuable insights into the future of the profession and the skills required to remain competitive in an increasingly dynamic industry.

Participants will gain perspectives from distinguished speakers representing industry, professional bodies, and academia on key topics, including:
Professional Engineering Practice – career development and professional registration.
The Role of Professional Associations – advancing the agricultural engineering profession.
Agricultural Engineering Consultancy – opportunities and challenges in the ASEAN region.
Future Demand for Agricultural Engineers – industry expectations and emerging career opportunities in Malaysia.

By the end of the forum, participants will gain a better understanding of career pathways, professional growth, and the evolving role of agricultural engineers in supporting sustainable agriculture, food security, and technological innovation in Malaysia.


BIODATA OF SPEAKERS

•   Ir. Mohd Fazly Bin Mail
•   Ir. Ts. Gan Kok Yong
•   Ir. S Kumar S Subramaniam
•   Prof Dr. Abdul Rashid Bin Mohamed Shariff


1) Ir. Mohd Fazly bin Mail

Ir. Mohd Fazly bin Mail earned his bachelor’s degree in Biological and Agricultural Engineering from Universiti Putra Malaysia in 2006, followed by a master’s degree in the same field from the University of Florida in 2016. After graduating, he began his career as an on-site engineer at Shell Malaysia before joining the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) as a researcher. He is currently a Senior Research Officer at the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) in Selangor, Malaysia. His research interests lie in agricultural machinery, particularly in machine design, testing, and precision agriculture. Ir. Fazly is a corporate member of The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM), and a Professional Engineer with a practicing certificate from the Board of Engineers, Malaysia (BEM). He currently served as the Deputy Chairman of the Agricultural and Food Engineering Technical Division of IEM and the Malaysian Society of Agricultural Engineers (MSAE).


2) Ir. Ts. Gan Kok Yong

Ir. Ts. Gan Kok Yong holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Process and Food Engineering and has been working in the engineering industry since 2012. He specialises in fire and explosion protection, combustible dust hazards, and process safety solutions for industrial applications. He is actively involved in the Malaysian Society of Agricultural and Food Engineers (MSAE), where he serves as an Exco member. He is also a Member of the Technical Committee of the Department of Standards Malaysia (JSM). His professional work focuses on developing practical engineering solutions, promoting safety awareness, and applying relevant standards and best practices to enhance industrial safety and process reliability.


3) Ir. Kumar Subramaniam

Ir. Kumar Subramaniam is the founder and Managing Director of SGT Konsult Sdn. Bhd. With approximately 30 years of experience, he has managed the construction, commissioning and upgrading of palm oil mills across Malaysia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and South America. His expertise covers feasibility and financial evaluations, process design for agrobased industries, mechanical systems and equipment selection, operations and maintenance, biogas and biomass power plants, and carbon-footprint reduction projects. Ir. Kumar also has extensive experience in project coordination, procurement, regulatory approvals and liaison with clients, consultants, subcontractors and local authorities. His technical capabilities include selecting and sizing process machinery, piping systems, motors, gearboxes, conveyors and storage facilities.


4) Prof Dr. Abdul Rashid Bin Mohamed Shariff

Prof. Sr. Gs. Dr. Abdul Rashid bin Mohamed Shariff, C.Eng., is a Professor at the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia. He is a Chartered Engineer (CEng), professionally registered through the Institution of Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE), United Kingdom; a member of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE); and a Life Member of the Malaysian Society of Agricultural and Food Engineers (MSAE). He is President of the Institution of Geospatial and Remote Sensing Malaysia (IGRSM). His expertise includes GIS, remote sensing, precision agriculture and smart farming.