Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), through Pusat IDEA UKM, continues to strengthen its role in driving high-impact knowledge transfer through the university’s research networks and community engagement initiatives. On 9 March 2026, a strategic meeting was held at the Pusat Pekasam Negara Lenggong as part of a community development and research initiative under the MRUN Knowledge Transfer Programme (MRUN KTP).
The meeting was led by Prof. Dr. Zulkefly Abdul Karim, Lead of the Social and Economic Transformation (TSE) Research Cluster under Pusat IDEA UKM, together with Associate Prof. Dr. Fatimah Wati Halim, a member of the University Research Group (KPU) My-Psikososial Sejahtera. The discussion also involved representatives from the Department of Fisheries Malaysia, Friends of Lenggong (FoL), as well as local pekasam entrepreneurs in Lenggong.
The strategic discussion focused on strengthening the local pekasam industry through improvements in food safety practices, production capacity, business management and market expansion. This approach aims to enhance the economic scale and sustainability of local entrepreneurs while positioning pekasam as a valuable traditional food heritage product with broader market potential.
This initiative reflects the active role of Pusat IDEA UKM in bridging academic research expertise with the needs of local communities and relevant agencies through a translational research approach. Through strategic collaboration between academia, community stakeholders and government agencies, the initiative is expected to contribute to local economic development while preserving and strengthening the sustainability of traditional food heritage in Lenggong.
The implementation of this initiative also aligns with the university’s aspiration to expand the impact of research through knowledge transfer programmes that deliver tangible benefits to society, further reinforcing UKM’s role as a leading institution in driving social innovation and sustainable community development.
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