REMOTE SENSING EDUCATION AT UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY MALAYSIA 
FOR SUPPORTING LOCAL RELATED INDUSTRIES IN ATTAINING SUSTAINABLE 
NATURAL RESOURCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENTS 
Mazlan Hashim, Ab Latif Ibrahim, 
Samsudin Ahmad and Mohd Ibrahim Seeni Mohd 
Department of Remote Sensing 
Faculty of Geoinformation Science and Engineering 
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Malaysia 
E-mail: :mazlan@fksg.utm.my Website: http://www.fksg.utm.my 
KEYWORDS : Remote Sensing, Education, Sustainable, Management, Developing Countries 
ABSTRACT 
Since the beginning of the remote sensing development, remarkable progress has been made in utilizing remote sensing data, to 
describe, study, monitor and model the earth's surface and interior. Remote sensing is rapidly becoming accepted as an excellent 
tool for decision-making process. The present trend of development in remote sensing is focused on the improvements in the 
sensor technology, especially in the spatial, spectral, and radiometric resolution. These improvements have enabled the scientific 
community to operationalise the methodology as well as broadening applications of remote sensing data in particular to support 
sustainable natural resource and environmental managements. The main objective of this paper is to highlight the remote sensing 
education programmes offered at the University of Technology Malaysia both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. This 
programmes is very important as a measure to fulfilled human resource requirements to support the related industries in utilization 
of the technology for attaining sustainable natural resource and environmental management in Malaysia. The curriculum for the 
  
courses, facilities and related research works that have been carried out are also highlighted. 
1.0 Introduction 
Reviews on historical perspective environmental 
issues in Malaysia have shown that the concern for 
environment and sustainability was firmly rooted in 
the Third Malaysia Plan (1976 — 1980). Set of 
guideline was established to maintain a healthy 
environment for human habitation. By the Fifth 
Malaysia. Plan (1986 —. 1990), environmental 
protection had become the main element in most of 
the development project that have to be carried out for 
the national progress. Among the many efforts taken 
in order to sustain both economic growth and 
environmental were to minimize the impact of human 
activities such as those related to deforestation, 
urbanization and tourism, with special emphasized 
given to prevention through conservation instead of 
curative measures; and also improve environmental 
planning in all development projects. The 
Environmental Quality Act 1974 that was enacted 
during this period has also 
showed the commitment. of the Malaysians 
government in preventing pollution and degradation of 
natural resources. The Environmental Impact 
Assessment was the amended to enable it becoming an 
important tool to safeguard resources and minimizes 
the negative consequences of development. This will 
also ensure that environmental planning become parts 
of any development projects. 
Guided by the Sixth and Seventh Malaysia Plans 
(1991 — 2000), the last decade was characterized by 
the concept of balanced development as a major 
~~ 
feature of the National Development Policy. The 
primary concern of this development plan were to 
develop strategies that will generate sustained rapid 
economic growth as well to ensure that the benefits 
were equitably shared among all Malaysians. 
However, considerations have to be taken that apart 
from economic growth, there was a need to continue 
and protect the environment and the Malaysia's 
natural resource base 
2.0 Application of Remote Sensing Data for 
Sustainable Development in Malaysia 
The Malaysian Government as stated in the 
Seventh and Eighth Malaysia Plan has placed a top 
priority on the operational applications of remote 
sensing technology. The establishment of the 
Malaysian Centre for Remote Sensing (MACRES) in 
1989, with the main objectives; (i) to develop space 
remote sensing and related technologies and (ii) to 
operationalise their applications for resources and 
environmental management, and strategic planning of 
the country, have reflected the seriousness on the part 
of Malaysian Government in making this technology 
applicable in all aspects of research and development. 
Since then, many other government organizations such 
as the Department of Environment, the Klang Valley 
Planning Unit, the Department of Forestry, the Shah 
Alam Municipality, the Petaling Jaya Municipality, 
the Kuala Lumpur City Council and others have set-up 
their own Remote Sensing Units. The question now is, 
whether all those agencies are able to opperationalise 
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