NST Johor article on 11-Oct-2012

Setting up the first wind tunnel facility

by Mohd Khir Muhammad

NST Johor 11/10/2011

MANY people, even engineers, do not realise that Johor houses a specialised and advanced test facility in the country known as the wind tunnel.

The facility is basically a research and testing tool for aerodynamics – the study of the effects of air moving past solid bodies – usually on scale-model aircraft and cars.

A scaled-model was tested in the wind tunnel before this full scale of the solar car was constructed.

By having a test model with proper measuring instrument in the wind tunnel, the resistance or drag of a car or an aircraft is determined to assist engineers and designers in their work before any full-sized version of car or aircraft is manufactured.

In 1994, I was given the responsibility of leading the setting-up of Malaysia’s first wind tunnel facility to be located at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)’s Aero Lab in Skudai, Johor Baru.

This low-speed wind tunnel test facility, known as UTM-LST, was intended to support the research and scale-model tests in both aeronautics (airplane, helicopter) as well as non-aeronautics (automotive, building) tests.

The wind tunnel is normally determined by the size of its test section and the maximum wind speed it can produce.

As a general rule, we want to have the biggest size and highest wind speed possible so that the test sample can be close to the actual case but, as always, budget is the limiting factor.

Technicians installing a scale model of an aircraft for testing.

The planning and the implementation of this specialised facility is certainly most challenging but also interesting for our project team, especially on convincing the government and other decision-makers on the need for a wind tunnel in this country.

It was the first project of its kind in the country, and no one in Malaysia really had much experience in the design and setting up of the facility.

Mohd Khir Muhammad standing in front of the fan blades inside the wind tunnel.

For UTM-LST, the wind tunnel test section size is 2m wide by 1.5m high by 3m long with the maximum wind speed of about 300kph with good air-flow quality. (In aeronautical terms, wind speeds of 300 kph and below are still considered a low speed!).

This size is sufficient to conduct testing of one eighth-scale of a two-seater training aircraft and a quarter-scale of a passenger car.

The UTM-LST was benchmarked against the German-Dutch Wind Tunnel (DNW), one of the advanced wind tunnel test facilities in Europe to date.

Indonesia has the largest wind tunnel in the Asean region since the late 1980s when it was set up by the former Indonesia president Professor Dr Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, also known B.J. Habibie, a German-trained aero engineer himself.

Professor Habibie, at that time Indonesia’s Research, Science and Technology Minister, was kind enough to allow his wind tunnel team to assist and advise us.

The design and construction began in 1999 and was completed on schedule in 24 months.

Transfer of technology was implemented in all stages of work whereby our project team members were directly attached and worked side by side with the specialists who were experienced engineers from Canada and Europe.

Since fully operational in 2001, the UTM wind tunnel has been conducting tests for industries including recent and future models of Proton cars, Modenas bikes, oil rig models, solar cars, wind turbines, model stadium and buildings, and even decorative road lamp posts.

BMW’s chief aerodynamics expert, Hans Kerschbaum, recently came to see the wind tunnel while he was visiting Singapore.

It was an honour to meet this great man who excitedly shared his 40-year wind tunnel experiences.

I am proud that in 2002 the wind tunnel was accepted as a new member of the exclusive international association of major wind tunnel testing facilities, Subsonic Aerodynamics Testing Association (SATA).

SATA members include wind tunnels of NASA, Boeing, Airbus, Volvo, Honda, BMW, Audi and many others.

I left the Aero Lab in 2004 to work in other engineering fields and missed the official opening ceremony of UTM-LST by then Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, in 2005.

This wind tunnel has certainly made a mark in my engineering career, a small but significant contribution to my beloved country and the state of Johor.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the UTM-LST and I am happy to note that Dr Shuhaimi Mansor, my former colleague and a key person in the project team, now heads the UTM-LST.

Next time when you want to have the wind effects on something, do remember our very first wind tunnel.

MOHD Khir Muhammad, 48, chairman of The Institution of Engineers Malaysia (Southern branch), was UTM’s Head of Aero Lab from 1994 to 2003 and project leader for the first wind tunnel project of the country.

NST Article , 9-Dec-2010

Two wonderful decades in JB

By Mohd Khir Muhammad,  New Straits Times (Johor Street section) 

 |  Thu, Dec 9 2010

MY first visit to Johor Baru was in 1978 when I was 15 years old.

It was during the school holidays and I had just completed my Sijil Rendah Pelajaran (now known as Penilaian Menengah Rendah) examination.

My late father had just bought a new Mazda car and announced that he was taking us down south to Singapore for a holiday.

I do not know about my siblings Fauzi, Nasir and Amerul, but I was really excited because the furthest we had gone as a family was to Kuala Lumpur and to the east coast.

In Johor Baru, we stayed at the Government Rest House for a few nights.

The rest house was situated where the Thistle Hotel is now. It was a pleasant place to stay at because it overlooked the Straits of Johor.

We went across the Causeway to Woodlands, Singapore, which was famous for canned lychee drinks. I remember my mother bought some kain ela, for making dresses, as it was cheap.

I cannot recall all the sights in Johor Baru, but I left feeling it was a nice holiday spot, especially Pantai Liko where we had a picnic.

But it certainly did not occur to me that I would one day be a "permanent resident" of Johor Baru.

In 1990, my employer, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, relocated from Jalan Gurney (now Jalan Semarak), Kuala Lumpur, to its permanent campus in Skudai.

Of course, being a bachelor, I had mixed feelings about moving from the big city of Kuala Lumpur to a quiet place like Skudai.

Furthermore, it meant that I would be further away from my family in Alor Star, Kedah.

I shared a house in Taman Universiti, Skudai, with a colleague.

Taman Universiti, a small, recently developed township, only had a single lane road at the time. It has since been upgraded to a double carriageway.

Skudai residents used to do their shopping at Taman Ungku Tun Aminah.

Johor Baru has gone through tremendous changes in the last 20 years.

In the old days, the traffic build-up was really annoying. There were so many traffic lights along Jalan Skudai.This is obvious to anyone who exits the North-South Highway at the Skudai toll and experiences a smooth drive through Skudai, Tampoi, Larkin and on to Johor Baru city centre.

Like many people from other states, my colleagues and I found it both strange and amusing to see Johor people enjoying goreng pisang with soy sauce for tea.

Even though Johor Baru was a small town, there were many interesting entertainment outlets. The famous live music joints included The M16 at Merlin Tower and Mechita Club at Straits Views.

A club called Juwita in Jalan Serampang was a nice place to enjoy live music. I remember hanging out there with my colleagues and listening to famous singers of the 1960s such as Hasnah Harun and S. Jibeng.

Satay Wak Radol in Kempas along the Pasir Gudang Highway was famous for its chunky and juicy satay.

In 1993, I married my wife, Noor Khaida Wati Mohd Faiyudi. Of Javanese descent, she was born in Johor Baru. Her mother's side of the family was from Stulang Darat, Johor Baru, and her father's family was from Pontian.

We rented a house in Jalan Tarom, Johor Baru, which is only a five-minute drive from the city centre.

Once a week my wife and I, and a few close friends would go to the Mee Rebus Lan Janggut stall, at the Komtar Building car park in Jalan Tun Razak.

Mee rebus Haji Wahid was famous, but we preferred to eat at Lan Janggut because of the keropok.

The late Lan Janggut had learnt to make delicious mee rebus while working for Haji Wahid.

He had his own way of preparing the noodles - using both hands, he would pour exactly the right amount of soy sauce and vinegar.

Johor was unique at the time as the weekend for the public sector fell on Thursdays and Fridays, while banks and the private sector had their weekend on Saturdays and Sundays.

I found it convenient as I could run errands and do my banking on Fridays.

In the late 1990s, the state government changed the weekend for the public sector to Saturday and Sunday to be consistent with the practices of the Federal Government.

My late mother-in-law's favourite kopitiam was Huamui restaurant in Jalan Trus.

It's famed for Hainanese food, especially huamui mee (Hainanese noodle) and Western meals like grilled chicken chop and beef steak.

I would say it was Johor Baru's equivalent of the Coliseum Restaurant in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur.

To this day, my wife and I sometimes have our breakfast of roti bakar and, chips and egg at Huamui on Sunday.

Yong Nasi Padang, in Jalan Wong Ah Fook, was famous for its otak lembu masak lemak, which we would buy every time my parent in-laws visited us.

If we wanted to eat Chinese food, we would visit the Straits View Gardens restaurant.

During weekends, we would exercise at Kebun Bunga and Padang Istana Besar. We would complete the 5km jogging track and run up to the top of the hill where the Johor Military Force's mini orchestra would be performing for the public.This was before there was any development in Danga Bay (right). In those days, there was a live band at the open-air restaurant.

It has been 20 years since I moved to Johor Baru and I have to say it is better to live here than in Kuala Lumpur.

My youngest brother Amerul Muner is also living in Johor Baru and married to a local girl.

The only complaint that I have about Johor Baru is it is a bit far from my hometown Alor Star. If it were not for the distance, I would definitely say that Johor Baru is home.

Mohd Khir Muhammad, 47, is the chairman of the Institution of Engineers Malaysia, Southern Branch. He stays in Bukit Jepun, Jalan Mariamah, with his wife.

My Article on NST Johor on 24.07.12

My article on disabled children was published in the News Straits Times (NST) on 24.07.12.
I wrote this article not for self-promoting of me in anyway, but the intention is to share my experiences in helping disabled and hopefully it motivates others especially younger generation to consider some social works as part of our caring society.

The link is here. Thanks to Fairuz Othman of NST Johor. Enjoy the reading.

( I have several articles on various issues published earlier in NST Johor section which I will upload later in this blog).
......................................................................................

"It Takes a Special Person to Care"

(NST Johor 24.07.12 - Your Say column) 

http://www.nst.com.my/streets/johor/it-takes-a-special-person-to-care-1.111607

MY first real involvement with disabled persons was in the late 1980s, when I was doing my postgraduate study in the United Kingdom.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia student volunteers and the special children go camping at Hutan Rekreasi UTM Skudai. Pix courtesy of Mohd Khir Muhammad

Mohd Khir Muhammad and his wife Noor Khaida Wati with their favourite niece Solehah Aida.

Aida Solehah, who can now eat and walk on her own with minimal assistance, with a laptop at home.

 One of my close friends there is Datuk Mah Hassan Omar, president of the National Council for the Blind, who was pursuing a master degree in International Maritime Law.   

  Mah Hassan had been blind since he was a young boy. In the United Kingdom, we stayed in the same dormitory with shared kitchen facilities.

  As a disabled person, he was a very independent person and needed very little assistance from us.

  It always amazed me to see how he was able to cook for himself after He had been familiarised with the environment.

  One of the first things I learnt from him is that disabled people do not want to be typecast to gain sympathy or help in their daily lives.

  I learn a bit of Braille from him and I still send him a Raya greeting in Braille every year. 

  Although I had done voluntary and social work before, my active involvement with disabled people was only in the recent years, with the Spastic Children's Association of Johor (SCAJ).

  Datin Jelita Noor 'Ashikin, a cousin of my wife,  was a board member of the association and through her, my wife and I got to know many more wonderful people and volunteers there.

  So when the association chairman Tunku Yan Nazihah Tunku Laxamana Nasir asked me to help, it was hard to turn her down.

  I know that she and many other dedicated people at the association are highly committed in caring for and giving the best treatment and special education to children with cerebral palsy.

  When I look at these children, they always remind me of one of my favourite nieces, Aida Solehah, now 11 years old.

  She was born with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC) meaning curved or hooked joints, which greatly restricts her physical movements.

 In the first five years, she was not able to walk or feed on her own.

  But thanks to the technological development in medical fields as well as the determination and great sacrifices of her parents, Aida, after undergoing several operations and regular therapy sessions,  is now able to walk and eat on her own with minimal assistance.

  SCAJ is one of the three major centres in the country that operates a special education school, rehabilitation and sheltered workshops for children and adults with cerebral palsy, and staffed with about 50 therapists, teachers and administrative and support staff.

  As with any charitable organizations, the association in Johor relies heavily on volunteers as well as public donations to finance its provision of rehabilitation services and special education to about 140 children.  

   Although it receives some grants from the Federal and state governments, these only cover about one-third of its RM1.4 million per year operating expenses.

  In this respect, I am really proud and honoured to be associated  and working with a group of people who are dedicated and committed to meeting the great challenges including fund-raising. 

  These wonderful people are donating time and energy for the benefit of people with special needs in the community (such as my niece Aida) as a social responsibility rather than for any financial reward.

  I remember having dinner with the president of the Institution of Engineers Australia and his wife when they recently visited Johor Baru.

  When I asked about the wife's work, I recall her saying excitedly and with great pride that she was a volunteer and a social worker.

  I am pretty sure that the people at SCAJ have the same pride in what they do!

  Mohd Khir Muhammad, 49, is an engineer. He is currently a Board Member of the Spastic Children's Association of Johor.  He and his wife stay in Bukit Jepun, Jalan Mariamah, Johor Baru.

Read more: It takes a special person to care - Johor - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/streets/johor/it-takes-a-special-person-to-care-1.111607#ixzz21Ztzreh2

Of Conjoined twins and 2012 London Olympic

9th of Ramadhan, 1433H,

It has been sometimes that I updated this blog.


Reading on news articles yesterday (The Star, 28.07.12), there are few interesting news. 

Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) successfully separates conjoined twins, Muaiman and Muaimin  - joined at pelvis and sharing three legs.

Both twin required reconstruction for their bladders, pelvic bones and large intestines. The all Malaysians surgery team consists of 20 specialist doctors, 20 medical officers and 19 nurses.

I am certainly proud of this success story of the all-Malaysian team.

I was also watching the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics.

The flag bearer for the Malaysia contingent was our swimmer Pandelela Rinong. The part I like most on the opening show was on the appearance of 'James Bond' and the Queen.

The fireworks was great but I just wonders if people in the stadium realized the risks of sitting on the huge amount of explosives !.

Anyway I wish  our Malaysian athletes all the best, give your best and made the nation proud of you. Good luck! 

Chinese newspaper reported on doubts over the medical qualifications of a 26-year old Winson Seow who had claimed that he graduated from Peking University, Health Science Centre, King's College London and the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

The newspapers did some checking with the universities and all of them replied saying they had no record of Seow!.

I know at least one person who has dubious PhD from controversial University of St Clement (you can google to find out more of this degree mill university).


Johor Bahru
29.07.12


  

Opening of Ampangan Pedu, 1969

This photo shows the then prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman officiating the opening of Ampangan Pedu in 1969. (I found this photo on internet courtesy of Jab. Penerangan Malaysia).

Newspaper Today

This weekend is the Chinese New Year. The Star's headlined " Heading Home" ! As in every year, there will again the exodus of 'balik kampung' - highways are again packed with crawling traffic. Good luck motorists !

An Aussie ma'am who stayed in Malaysia in the '70s re-connected with her 'amah' after 40 years when the ma'am wrote to the newspaper searching for her amah. Maybe I should write also to Japan newspapers searching for my parents' foster Japanese daugther, one Chiko Matsumoto, who stayed with us for few monthss in Alor Setar in the 70's. Would be good for my mother to get connected with her Japanese daughter and her family. Well, Kak Chieko must have been in her 60's by now.

In politics, Minister Sharizat says it is her right to sue the two PKR leaders, for RM 100 million over allegedly defamatory statements in relation to the national feedlot controversy. Meanwhile, Anwar Ibrahim also sues Utusan Malaysia RM 50 million over allegedly homosexual gay issues. May be this is easier than quick rich schemes..

A few interesting Letters to NST Editors discussing on the autonomy of the Malaysian universities.here here here and reply from one of the university is here.