As
2006 comes to an end and as I reflect on my past
year in office, I realize that it may be easy to
rationalize my inactiveness. Just like many of
you, I have been very busy with my daily work in
the office. This is more so because I am
deprived of a research assistant, meaning that I
have to do a lot of official and academic tasks
on my own. I guess this is true with most MSPP
members since we have no research fund to employ
a research assistant, to whom we depend so much
upon, to assist us in our daily activities. I
realize that whatever reason I give to explain
my silence all this while may not be acceptable.
To that end, please accept my humble apologies.
But as I reflect
on the past, I am also hopeful for the future. I
know that 2007 will be different because most of
us have been fortunate to be awarded the Science
Fund from MOSTI. Additionally, some members who
are working in the universities have also been
lucky enough to receive the Fundamental Research
Fund from the Ministry of Higher Education. To
you all, I say congratulations!
As we enter a new MSPP year of 2007, my
resolution is to work harder with the Executive
Committee Members and with many of you to
fulfill the following goals:
-
Ensure that
MSPP will continue to provide excellent
leadership in encouraging and promoting the
development of plant physiology as pure and
applied phase of botanical science. I expect
that with the current leaders and active
members, we will be able to build on our
strengths and overcome some of our
weaknesses.
-
Increase
participation from a large and diverse group
of members in the activities of MSPP. These
will include seminars, lectures, workshops
and the formation of working groups in
tropical plants: horticulture, forestry,
agronomic crops and plantation crops. The
purpose of the working groups is to address
issues pertaining to the increase in
productivity of the above-mentioned tropical
plants. This is in line with the 9th
Malaysia Plan’s proposal that productivity
be increased through wider application of
the latest technology and knowledge-based
production system.
-
Reduce the
time from submission of a manuscript to its
publication in the MSPP Journal to 6 months.
This can be achieved if editors, reviewers
and authors resolve to expedite the review
process.
-
Reduce the
time of publication of the MSPP Transactions
to 4 months after the Conference.
-
Encourage
members to introduce at least one graduate
to become a new MSPP member. Such young and
able-bodied members can provide the strength
to invigorate and energize the society.
-
Encourage
members to renew membership on time and to
submit articles to the MSPP journal.
-
Organize the
MSPP Conference 2007 in September. The
conference will be held in Kota Kinabalu,
Sabah.
-
Activate and
run the MSPP website as it can be made the
main vehicle to provide information to
members about the activities of the society.
The past leaders
have already taken MSPP to great heights towards
achieving several of the above-mentioned goals.
However, the continued success of MSPP in
providing services to its members depends on all
of our participation and involvement in its
activities. In the words of a former American
president, “Don’t ask what MSPP can do for you,
but instead ask what you can do for MSPP.” I
welcome your suggestions for improvements so as
to make MSPP better for all its members.
