Research development, technological advancement, sciences, biotechnology, etc, are among the topics commonly heard today. Every Malaysia Plan has seen a large amount allocated to help in research. Malaysia has been opening its doors to foreigners to invest in terms of raising research and development to greater heights.

Sad to say, no matter how much fund is allocated or foreign investors willing to invest, at the end of the day, the laboratories hardly get to see the funds, resulting in delayed research work or worse, termination of research projects.

As a postgraduate student and part-time researcher at the medical faculty in Universiti Malaya, I have become accustomed to research work being delayed as there is practically no funding. So, one by one, every aspect of the research work is at a decline. There is no way of ordering materials as there is no fund in the grant. As a result, not only is the work delayed but as a researcher, my only source of income is also at a standstill.

From getting the full pay, I have to compromise and accept half the amount so that other student researchers can get some allowance money too. The department is unable to provide even that small amount of allowance. It is always the same story, there is no money or a grant has been applied but it is taking ages to be approved.

On the same note, I still have to finish my research work and qualify to get my masters degree (which I am not getting free as I still have to pay the semester fees). With the prices of petrol and other items slowly on the rise, how is one to survive without the promised income? It's quite a put-off to hear the money excuse being used and then learn about how a member of the university board had siphoned a large sum of money. The person was sacked for this.

Office staff are holding positions to get the paper work in each department sorted out. However, the only job these staff excel at is going out to buy breakfast, lunch and teatime snacks. Even though there is a certain time for the official lunch hour, the staff seem to ignore the regulations and leave at their own pleasure. How is any work going to be accomplished with such irresponsible people around?

It s a shame when outsiders, who come to the departments on business, on a working day, at a working hour, is confronted by an empty office. It's even more embarrassing when these outsiders complain about the staff! Not everyone has the time to repeatedly come back to the departments to get their work sorted out.

Is a CCTV necessary in a laboratory compared to the repair of a much-needed equipment? I think not! In a particular newly-built laboratory, one vital equipment, has been out of order for more than five months. The reason for its malfunction can be attributed to the medical laboratory technologists themselves, who decided to install the Internet on the equipment's computer, just so that they could play computer games.

There are just a few of these equipments around the world. Apparently, the money needed to fix this particular equipment, has been approved but the head of the laboratory feels that the money could be used to install CCTVs instead, despite knowing that many professors and students are depending on this equipment for their studies.

I do not see how the installation of cameras is going to help in any research unless the faculty is planning to make a movie regarding the everyday life of a researcher!

There is another equipment which is rusted, resulting in students having to do the same work manually. What is the point of such technology when we have to go back to the old ways? The head of this laboratory doesn't seem to be interested in making sure all the equipment is in working condition. She only seems to take pride in giving foreign visitors tours of a non-functional laboratory. After all, no one actually requested to see the machines at work, so she's quite safe. Due to this unfortunate situation, students and other researchers are punished with having their work delayed.

Another interesting matter is regarding the usage of studies done by other noted professors. The most recent incident to cause a wave of conflict within the departments was when a particular professor decided to present, in a foreign land, studies carried out by other professors in the medical faculty itself. It was also said that the much regarded professor quietly gave permission to the laboratory technologists to summarise the work of the noted professors.

However, the summary lacked professionalism as the results of the studies were never presented, only the discussion was included. The issue took a turn for the worse when none of the professors were informed of the matter or gave their consent. I doubt that foreign scientists and researchers would find such work A-grade as precision is a key factor in every research work.

Universiti Malaya is not the university it once was. I distinctly remember a family member, who once held the title of professor having described the university in a proud manner. Now, the university is just a shadow of its former self.