Professor Dato’ Dr. Ibrahim Komoo is an iconic figure in the fields of sustainable development, environmental and natural resources conservation, as well as natural disasters. He plays his roles simultaneously as an academician, teacher, researcher and also a unique thinker in the community. His determination to create a generation of conservationist community has made Professor Dato’ Dr. Ibrahim embarked on the establishment of Langkawi Research Centre - Pusat Penyelidikan Langkawi (PPL), LESTARI, a research institution supported by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Langkawi Development Board (LADA) with other agencies, together studying the development of natural resources (biological, geological and cultural). Aside from its function as the field laboratory for postgraduate education, PPL helps increase the potential of the eco-tourism industry in Langkawi with the ultimate target preserving the natural resources heritage. His hard work is recognised by the state government of Kedah, and received the support from LADA. The cooperative relationship is manifested into the establishment of GEOPARK. Furthermore, the effort has also been acknowledged by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on 1 June 2007, making it the first Geopark in Malaysia and South East Asia and the 52nd in the world.

Prof. Dato’ Dr. Ibrahim is a member of the International Expert Group and a Bureau Member of Global Geoparks Network (GNN), responsible in evaluating and proposing to UNESCO Geopark worldwide for the addition of new members into GNN. Professor Dato’ Dr. Ibrahim is also the pioneering founder and Founding Coordinator of Asia Pacific Geo-heritage and Geoparks Network (APGGN). He is also leading the Conservational Geology knowledge cluster at national and international levels, as the foundation for earth’s physical resources conservation to create an integrated natural preservation.

He has published more than 100 publications in the forms of books, monographs, chapters in books, journals, and working papers both in the national arena and internationally in his fields of expertise. The development of theories and approaches in overcoming the issues and problems as well as the potentials in the sustenance of natural resources and the surrounding environment have been channelled towards the new generation via research-based education. As for now, he has supervised and in the process of supervising not less than 20 doctorate and postgraduate candidates in his quest to form a generation of conservation practitioners in the fields of Earth Science, Environmental Sciences, Geological Engineering, Conservational Geology and Sustenance Science.

The contributions of Prof. Dato’ Dr. Ibrahim have been acknowledged by the awarding of two titles, namely, Excellent Geologist Award by the Association of Former Geology Postgraduate Students UKM (1997) and Excellent Scientist Award from the Association of Ex-Students of Sekolah Menengah Sultan Abdul Halim, Jitra (2002). He was awarded the Langkawi Award 2008/2009 whereby the award was presented by the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment on 21 October 2009, making him the fourth recipient of the award from UKM. Ever since the introduction of the award in 1991 by the Department of Environment, UKM academicians have excelled in the awarding of the much coveted environmentalist award.    

The awareness on the environment and natural resources has been put forward by Prof. Dato’ Dr. Ibrahim through his writing and interviews in prints (examples: The Edge, Star, New Strait Times, Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian, Dewan Masyarakat, Massa and Al-Islam).  He also contributed his expertise and technical advice for the production of documentaries Monument of the Rainforest and The Power of Water.

Prof. Ibrahim is also the pioneer for the Science Inspired Arts Camp Programme (Program Kem Seni Ilham Sains) which incorporates science approaches into arts. There have been three Science Inspired Arts Camp programmes from the year 2000 to 2005.  When he was the Director of the Institute of Environmental and Development (LESTARI) UKM, Prof. Dato’ Dr. Ibrahim highly encouraged conservation inclinations in researches. A number of projects were put into motion, namely Sustainable Urban Project – Environmental Award and Sustainable School - Environmental Award, under the patronage of the Department of Environment and also the Building Material Recycling Project with the patronage of Council for Industrial Development of Building (CIDB) Malaysia.

Profesor Dato’ Dr. Ibrahim Komoo plays an active role in a number of organisational bodies in his efforts of enhancing the country’s science and technology. He was the Secretary, Vice President and President of Geology Association of Malaysia and Vice President of Malaysian Geology Institute.

Professor Dato’ Dr. Ibrahim’s deep knowledge in the arena of  environmental and natural resources conservation gained acknowledgement, and he was appointed as the Chair of Mountain Technical Biodiversity Group for National Level  under the Ministry of Science, Technology  and Environment in 2003. His contribution continues and at present he is the founder and Chair for Malaysian Mountain Ecosystem Research Initiative (MMERI) which was founded in 2003 to reinforce the national network on the conservation and development of mountain natural resources and its diversity. 

Natural disasters are Prof. Ibrahim’s field of expertise. He has immensely contributed his expertise for the prevention of such tragedies. In 1999 to 2000, he led the Klang Valley mapping and geo-disaster analysis project for the Department of Federal Territory Development, Prime Minister’s Department. He is also actively involved in integrated development efforts for landslide evaluation and control in Kundasang territory, Sabah.  His involvement has been recognised by the government when was appointed as the head investigator for Pos Dipang tragedy, Perak (1996), Highland Towers Landslide Tragedy investigation panel (1995), expert advisory panel for Kundasang Active Landslide Complex, Ranau District Council (2003 to present) and for Malaysian Highway Board on the failure of stone slopes as well as the technical advisor for High Area Development Cabinet Committee under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (starting from 2002).

Professor Dato’ Dr. Ibrahim involved in sharing his knowledge towards developing the concept of sustainable development which can be operated for the state of Selangor through developing principles, strategies and Selangor Agenda 21 implementation plans with the Selangor Department of Rural and Urban Planning. The concept has been adopted as the policy direction and included into Selangor 8th Malaysian Plan (Chapter V). The concept is implemented by two local authority bodies in Selangor, Shah Alam City Council and Kuala Selangor District Council. His vast knowledge and experience are contributed to the special committee for local sustainable development through the formation of a number of training series and ability development workshops for EXCO Members, Council Members, Government’s senior officers and also sustainable development officers who have been identified by the respective agencies, district councils, municipal councils and city halls in Selangor.  Professor Ibrahim is the main contributor for the establishment of Environmentally Sensitive Areas which puts the priority in heritage aspects, disaster risks and life support system. The concept has been adopted by the Selangor State Government in its Selangor Environmentally Sensitive Areas policy which was launched by the Chief Minister on 5 June 1999. The findings of his experience in the local scenes have also been shared internationally through technical involvements related to Sustainable Development Commission for UNCSD and Science Council of Asia.

Profesor Dato’ Dr. Ibrahim Komoo has poured his contributions to the increase of awareness and attention to the conservation of physical heritage resources and degradation and extinction of natural geological heritage resources to many stakeholders and important parties. He established and chaired the Malaysian geology Heritage Group (1996 to 2005), a research and development group which consists of many researchers and officers from UKM, UM, UMS, USM, Department of Mineral and Geoscience of Malaysia, Malaysian Museum and Antiquity Department, and other private bodies (PETRONAS and Shell Sarawak) to develop heritage resources and geological landscapes. Under his lead, he started the bi-annual meet-up organised to evaluate the status of development and natural heritage resources. Six (6) National Geological Heritage Conferences has been organised and eight (8) serial books on Malaysian Geological Heritage have been published. A number of geological heritage magazines are also published and distributed to school pupils through the collaboration with the Ministry of Education.

Professor Ibrahim is also a panel expert for numerous government and private agencies locally, among others, Planning and Environment Aspects (Malaysian Peninsular JPBD and ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, since 1997); Geo-disasters Risks (Orang Asli Department, 1997-1998); and Sabah and Ranau District Council Department of Nature Conservation since 2002.  Contributions are also channelled in the forms of presentations and seminars, dialogues and talks to all stakeholders and related parties on Sustainable Development, Environmentally Sensitive Areas, and Sustainable Development Markers. Among the involved bodies are, to name a few, cntral government agencies (JPBD, EPU, JMG, MOSTE, ASM), non government agencies (EPSM, CAP-Penang, COSTAM, Malaysian Geological Association) and scientists from local universities.

During his appointment as the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research and Innovation Affairs, he pioneered the university- and national-oriented research group aside from introducing the concepts of thrust fields, clusters and university level research groups based on ‘one continuum Research and Innovations’ integration. His involvements in education, research and community advocacy as well as other contributions as per mentioned above will continue for the further enhancement of UKM image as well as Malaysia.

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