KUALA TERENGGANU, Oct 22 — The Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) will be spearheading more specialised expeditions in search of fossils that yet to be discovered in the state.
Its vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Nor Aieni Mokhtar said the university would start with the Marine Fossil Hunting Expedition in January next year.
She said the expedition would be carried out following the discovery of the 300 million-year-old plant fossil during excavation work at the Paya Peda dam near Besut in 2013.
“Then (in October 2014), a group of researchers and lecturers from several universities discovered dinosaur fossils including footprints, bones and teeth (of Theropod, Iguanodontid and Sauropod groups), estimated to be 65 million years old at Gunung Gagau, Hulu Terengganu.
“So, we believe that there are still many fossils yet to be discovered in Terengganu and we are optimistic that they will be found on the expedition this time around as the efforts will be concentrated in Keruak, Besut and Bukit Bucu near Batu Rakit, where the fossil believed to be located,” she said.
She was speaking to reporters after the handing over ceremony of 300 million-year-old plant fossil by Department of Minerals and Geoscience (JGM) director-general Datuk Shahar Effendi Abdullah Azizi to UMT for research work here today. — Bernama
