SAFETY IS OUR PRIORITY CARE & COMPLY VOLUME 10 | MAY 2026 Honing a safety culture that begets confidence
ADVISOR Ts. Dr. Capt. Manivannan Subramaniam CHAIRMAN Capt. Malik Bin Abd. Rahman SECRETARY Dr. Mohd Azizi Hamid EDITOR IN CHIEF Capt P.George Oommen Spot and Share UCUA - Page 6 4th Application info bit - Agentic AI – Page 8 4th IR Technology Segment – AI & Our Thinking Skills - Page 7 EDITORIAL TEAM CONTENT MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR Safety is an issue that can never and must never be off our radar at any time. Late in 2025 the MISC group of companies launched the “Care & Comply” safety culture theme to reflect it’s seriousness in keeping safety constantly at the core of its business. It is safety that sustains a business; It is safety that brings loved ones home & safety culture is one of the major factors that draws or attracts business partners. If we’ve got a good safety track record, businesses would not hesitate to do business with us. It became abundantly apparent from some of this time’s submissions, that safety is firmly in the consciousness of ALAM. Even before a theme was announced for the newsletter, safety related articles were submitted as early as last year for consideration. This is a very good sign. These articles address mental health, safety related reporting systems & occupational safety & health. Something else that must not escape our radar is the developments occurring in the 4TH IR realm. With the rise of Ai, humanity is looking at greater efficiency, performance & infallibility. While these things are surely great things to pursue, we must not do it with ‘reckless abandon’. The consequences can be disastrous. Ai is now reported to be able to ‘hack’ the human brain in the sense that it ‘knows’ human needs & therefore it will be able to ‘dish out’ what people need. From being able to ‘bait’ people by meeting certain needs, it can move on to suggest things for people to do, which they might not normally bring themselves to do. People are now reportedly finding solace and companionship in Ai. This is something serious to think about. So, this time around, articles on the 4TH IR cover thinking skills in the age of Ai and an entity known as Agentic Ai. Now! Surely this editorial is not complete without saying anything about the war in the middle east. It rages on as this editorial is being written. As Ai makes its presence felt, we must be keenly aware that it is fully capable of ‘cooking’ up ‘realities’. In such circumstances and always, we must verify what we read and view. Happy reading. Page 2 EDITOR Nadia Harnisa Abdul Rahman A.L.A.R.P – As Low As Reasonably Practicable: Meaning and Relevance in ALAM’s OSH Practice - Page 3 & 4 Seafarers’ Mental Health from an Islamic Perspective – Page 5
What Does A.L.A.R.P Mean? The acronym A.L.A.R.P stands for “As Low As Reasonably Practicable”, sometimes expressed as “so far as is practicable.” It is a cornerstone principle in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), guiding practitioners to reduce workplace risks to the lowest achievable level without disproportionate effort. At Akademi Laut Malaysia (ALAM), A.L.A.R.P serves as a guiding principle for ensuring that operational, training, and campus activities are conducted with safety as a top priority. While it acknowledges that zero risk is rarely attainable, they must always be reduced as low as reasonably practicable, considering technological, financial, and operational constraints. This principle ensures that ALAM maintains a safe and effective learning and working environment for staff, students, contractors and visitors. A.L.A.R.P – As Low As Reasonably Practicable: Meaning and Relevance in ALAM’s OSH Practice By Ahmad b. Ismail A.L.A.R.P in Malaysian OSH Legislation and ALAM Compliance The principle of A.L.A.R.P is embedded within several provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) 1994, Malaysia, which ALAM adheres to: 1. Section 15(2)(b), OSHA 1994 Employers must ensure, “so far as is practicable, safety and absence of risks to health” in the use, handling, storage, and transport of plant and substances. At ALAM, this translates into maintaining safe training facilities, simulators, workshops, and laboratories. 2. Section 3, OSHA 1994 – Interpretation of “Practicable” This section requires consideration of: • Severity of hazards or risks • Current knowledge about hazards and mitigation methods • Availability and suitability of control measures • Cost of implementation. At ALAM, this guides decision-making in risk management by ensuring safety measures are balanced, feasible, and proportional to the potential risks involved in maritime training operations. Section 60, OSHA 1994 – Onus of Proof Employers must demonstrate that all reasonably practicable measures were taken. At ALAM, this requires proper documentation and justification of safety decisions, particularly when higher- level controls (e.g., elimination or substitution) are not feasible. Page 3 Practical Application of A.L.A.R.P at ALAM Implementation of A.L.A.R.P at ALAM involves: 1. Hazard Identification – conducted across workshops, laboratories, and campus areas 2. Risk Assessment – evaluating risks to students, staff, contractors and visitors 3. Applying control measures according to the Hierarchy of Controls: • Elimination – remove hazard where possible • Substitution – replace hazardous processes or substances • Engineering controls – physical safeguards, ventilation, safety devices • Administrative controls – procedures, training, safety protocols • Personal protective equipment (PPE) – helmets, gloves, harnesses Where constraints (cost, technology, or feasibility) may prevent some controls from being fully implemented; ALAM ensures that residual risk is minimized, documented, and continuously monitored. Measuring and Monitoring A.L.A.R.P Implementation at ALAM Ensuring that risks are managed as low as reasonably practicable requires systematic monitoring and evaluation. At ALAM, this involves: 1.Regular Risk Assessments: • Conducted across all operational areas, including simulators, workshops, and laboratories. • Updated when new hazards or processes arise. • Covers chemical, mechanical, ergonomic, fire, and environmental hazards. ALAM QHSSE dept conducting training session on ALARP
2.Inspection and Audits: • Scheduled inspections of facilities, equipment, and PPE to ensure compliance with OSH standards. • Internal audits to verify that documented risk control measures are implemented effectively. • Gap analysis identifies areas where risk reduction can be improved further. 3.Incident Reporting and Investigation: • All near-misses and accidents are recorded and analysed to identify root causes. • Root cause analysis drives implementation of corrective and preventive actions, reducing future risk. 4.Performance Indicators: • Key safety performance indicators (KPIs) track incident rates, hazards identified, training completion, and compliance levels. • Supports ALAM’s commitment to continuous improvement and accountability in OSH management. Integrating A.L.A.R.P into Training and Operations At ALAM, safety is embedded into maritime training culture: 1. Curriculum Integration: • Safety principles, including A.L.A.R.P, are incorporated into training modules • Students are taught hazard identification, risk assessment, and the application of control measures in practical context 2. Simulation and Practical Exercises: • Training exercises simulate real-world maritime hazards while ensuring risks remain controlled and documented. • Students experience the importance of assessing and mitigating risk in a controlled, educational environment. 3. Staff Engagement and Competence: • Continuous professional development in OSH ensures staff are knowledgeable about A.L.A.R.P principles. • Staff are empowered to take proactive measures and make informed decisions when hazards arise Challenges in Applying A.L.A.R.P While A.L.A.R.P is a foundational principle, ALAM recognizes challenges in its practical implementation: 1. Technological Limitations: Certain risk controls may not be available or feasible with current equipment or facilities. 2. Financial Constraints: Cost-benefit considerations can impact the choice and extent of safety measures. 3. Operational Practicality: In live maritime training or operational environments, some hazards cannot be eliminated. Despite these challenges, ALAM ensures that residual risks are minimized and all decisions properly justified and documented. Page 4 Continuous Improvement and Innovation ALAM views A.L.A.R.P as a dynamic principle rather than a static requirement: Technology Adoption: • ALAM explores innovative solutions, such as advanced simulators, automated safety systems, and smart PPE, to further reduce risks. Feedback and Lessons Learned: • Input from students, staff, and incident investigations inform continuous refinement of risk control strategies. Benchmarking and Compliance: • ALAM regularly reviews national and international maritime safety standards to ensure that its risk management practices are at the forefront of OSH excellence Perspective as an ALAM Safety Practitioner The A.L.A.R.P principles bridges between ideal safety standards and real-world operational realities. It reinforces that while eliminating all risks is impossible, complacency is unacceptable. ALAM demonstrates its commitment to safety by: • Continually reviewing and improving risk controls for all campus operations • Strengthening safety culture among staff and students • Exploring innovative and practical solutions as technology and knowledge evolve In the ALAM context, A.L.A.R.P is not a justification for cutting corners. It is a responsibility to make informed, ethical, and transparent safety decisions, always prioritizing people over convenience or cost. Conclusion At ALAM, A.L.A.R.P goes beyond regulatory compliance — it represents a commitment to ethical, practical and proactive safety management. By applying this principle, ALAM effectively balances operational realities with high safety standards, fostering a culture of vigilance, accountability, and continuous improvement, while protecting all stakeholders and reinforcing its reputation as a premier maritime training institution Inspection of workshop
Seafarers operate in one of the most psychologically demanding professions, marked by prolonged isolation, high occupational risk, and limited social interaction. These conditions contribute to increased vulnerability to mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression. Addressing these challenges requires not only clinical and organizational responses but also culturally and spiritually grounded approaches. From an Islamic perspective, mental health is understood as a holistic state of well-being encompassing the spiritual (rūḥ), psychological (nafs), and physical dimensions of the human being. Islam recognizes emotional hardship as part of the human condition while offering a structured framework for resilience. Central to this framework is tawḥīd (the unity of God), which provides individuals with a sense of purpose and existential stability. For seafarers facing uncertainty and hardship at sea, this belief can anchor their psychological state and reduce feelings of helplessness. Key Islamic principles contribute directly to mental resilience. Ṣabr (patience) enables individuals to endure prolonged hardship with emotional regulation, while tawakkul (reliance on God) fosters trust in divine wisdom alongside proactive effort. These principles are particularly relevant in maritime settings, where unpredictability and risk are constant. Additionally, dhikr (remembrance of God)—through prayer and recitation—serves as a form of spiritual mindfulness, promoting inner calm and reducing anxiety. Seafarers’ Mental Health from an Islamic Perspective By: Mohd Asri bin Md Sap Islam also emphasizes the importance of social connection through the concept of ummah (community). Even within the confined and multicultural environment of a vessel, fostering mutual respect and brotherhood among crew members can alleviate loneliness and enhance collective morale. Maintaining ties with family, a key value in Islam (silat al-raḥim), is equally important and can be supported through improved digital connectivity onboard. From an ethical standpoint, Islam places responsibility on employers and institutions to safeguard the well-being of workers. Principles such as ‘adl (justice), raḥmah (compassion), and amānah (trust) require maritime organizations to provide safe working conditions, fair treatment, and access to mental health support. This includes facilitating religious practices, offering culturally competent counselling, and implementing peer support systems. Most importantly, Islamic perspectives on mental health are not in opposition to modern psychological frameworks but complement them. Practices such as self-reflection (muḥāsabah) align closely with cognitive-behavioral approaches, enabling a more integrated and culturally sensitive model of care. In conclusion, seafarers’ mental health must be addressed through a multidimensional approach that integrates professional, psychosocial, and spiritual strategies. Islamic teachings offer a valuable framework for fostering resilience, promoting well-being, and guiding ethical responsibility. Incorporating these principles into maritime mental health initiatives can enhance both effectiveness and cultural relevance, ultimately supporting a more sustainable and humane working environment for seafarers. Page 5
Spot and Share UCUA By Captain Siva Page 6 Safety is everyone’s responsibility. There is a saying that “If you think Safety is expensive than try an accident.” An unsafe condition is a condition that is likely to cause injury or property damage, and an unsafe act is any activity or task that is conducted in a manner which increases the probability of an accident. As a member of the MISC group of companies we are to meet a target of one UCUA report for every 500 manhours. Based on the projected 2026 manhours, every individual is to produce 7 UCUAs for the year. We must do our part to contribute as safety is everyone’s responsibility. What we really must do is to actively contribute towards identifying and reporting unsafe conditions or unsafe acts. We must not have an attitude of resignation, that says “when we send a UCUA, no action will be taken”. We must believe that action will be taken but we must have the patience to wait and see. Start with where you are, with what you have and do what you can to spot and share, and you would have significantly enhanced workplace safety awareness, strengthened risk prevention measures and supported continuous improvement in our beloved workplace. It will also make a positive impact on accident prevention. We come to work safely, and we must go back safely. To come to work safely and go back safely, we must report risks that we see and not ignore it. Safety should be a mindset. Accidents and incidents normally start with small compromises. Remember that it is not wrong to say “NO” or intervene when necessary. Heinrich’s safety pyramid was produced with a simple philosophy that major accidents rarely happen suddenly. They normally begin with unsafe acts, near misses and minor accidents. We must be able to openly report any unsafe act and have the courage to intervene when risks are identified. Of course, it is easier said than being done but at least give it a try. I once approached a colleague, intervening in some safety issue, at first, he was reluctant and defended what he was doing; however, after some time he took necessary action. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure so we should prevent it at the base and avoid the top. A great attitude brings about great results and always remember that small actions prevent big accidents. One of the main reasons that people fail to report Unsafe Acts or Unsafe Conditions is because of complacency. I am sure you have heard the words many times; but have you wondered what it really meant? Complacency can kill; well, what does complacency mean? A feeling of being satisfied and unaware of potential dangers. This feeling of complacency can lead to errors, accidents and loss of life. An example of complacency is the feeling of “It is just a small step, I can skip it just once”. However please remember, Murphy’s Law says this, “if something that can go wrong, it will go wrong”. If it goes wrong, think about your family or your colleague’s family. They might have to live with unimaginable grief. All that is needed from you is to “spot and share”. Is that too much to ask guys? It also must be a responsibility we uphold with integrity and professionalism. Always remember that anyone who, can mould and adjust his attitude as per the situation, becomes worthy of everyone’s blessing. Prevention is better than cure. Think positive and positive things will happen to you. If there is a will, there is a way. Accidents & Incident stats pic courtesy of Capt. Sivanandan UCUA pic courtesy of Capt. Sivanandan
Have you ever asked yourself, how is thought formed? Are our thoughts random occurrences in our minds? Do we say, “luckily my dad decided to gift me a bike”? It was premeditated. So surely, they can’t be random. Motivation for one can drive thoughts. So, a dad wanting to buy a gift for his child is motivated by love. Love is a force. Being in a survival mode can inspire thoughts. Thoughts are words in silent mode. Where do or did the words in our minds originate from? For a start, man has to take in words from various sources, cognitively. They come from our belief systems, reading, parents, elders, school & work. Basically, they are from our immediate environment. These words have power & they settle in our heads(minds). Our hearts, where our intuition, emotion & motivation reside, become cognizant of these words too. And it is these that cause words/thought to arrange itself in order. So, the following are some of what some ‘Tech Gurus’ are asserting of Ai & the thinking process: • Nobody knows how thought forms. They are basically words being arranged in a line. • So, “if humans are just arranging words, Ai can do it better”. • AI is autonomous and therefore it can make decisions & create new ideas without human intervention. • AI can ‘hack’ the human brain & create relationships with people even though it has no emotions(heart) of its own. ‘Hack’ in the sense that it ‘knows’ the language of intimacy & therefore it is able to ‘dish’ it out to a human that needs it. ‘Dish out’ because it has been trained to ‘dish out’. • Humanity can accept it (AI) as an ‘Alien’ intelligence that can produce new realities & strategies that humans cannot comprehend. The dangers of an unbridled usage of AI Our thoughts are shaped by what we allow ourselves to feed on mentally. We must never forget that Ai is trained. They are trained by men & women with their own mindsets. They are also trained by feeding elements that may not be complete in terms of proper resolution of problems. Remember that we must think with our ‘hearts’ more than with our ‘heads’. Ai does not have a ‘heart’ therefore its decision making processes may be quick but flawed. One key factor we must remember is that our thinking skills are like muscles. When we talk about muscles, what we don’t use, becomes weak. Therefore, when it comes to excessive usage of Ai, we may dull our thinking skills. Memory too may become a problem. If we use Ai all the time for memory recall, our memory power may also become weak. Page 7 4TH IR TECHNOLOGY SEGMENT – Being circumspect As the presence and influence of Ai grows, we must be keenly aware of its capabilities. Instead of taking ‘values’ from it blindly, we should critically think about what it dishes out. Ai is a very powerful collating & curating tool, but it does not have a ‘heart’. Therefore, it is so vital that man retains the ‘decision making’ role. By P.George Oommen AI & OUR THINKING SKILLS Pic Credits: Unsplash Pic Credits: Pixaby
4IR APPLICATION INFO BIT – AGENTIC AI Zenith Editorial Team Page 8 Some k𝘦𝘺 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴: • Operate autonomously/independently…. “with minimal human intervention”. • Act as an agent. • Make decisions • Analyse, plans, execute & solve complex problems. • ‘Tool Calling’….It can draw in external software for its use if necessary. • Use feedback loops to make self-corrections. 𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧: • Trained by Data Scientists & Machine Learning Engineers who may not share our worldview. • It will have ‘moral agency’ too….what may be wrong for you & I, may be ‘right’ for it. • Decision making must be left to human beings. Pic Source: Unsplash
Page 9 Department Coordinators Capt. Mohammad Monir Hossain - FAMS Mohamad Riduan Bin Ramli - FAME Zaful Rullah Hakiem Bin Zaini - CPT (Simulation Training) Siti Rabi'ah Binti Hamzah - CLS R. NurHidayat Bin Raja Kamarudin - Rating Programs Norashikin Binti Alias - CPT (Modular Courses) Kazlina Binti Kharib Shah - HR Ummu Haani - SAFAD Ahmad Bin Ismail - QHSE Muhammad Syuqran Saudaullah Bin Rohaizad – KMC Dr. Mohd Azizi Hamid - CAQ DESIGN & EDITORIAL SUPPORT MISC Group Corporate Communications Disclaimer Malaysian Maritime Academy (Akademi Laut Malaysia / “ALAM”) makes no warranty and guarantee on the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of ALAM’s newsletter (“ZENITH”), and neither ALAM, nor its employees shall have any liability for any direct or indirect loss or damage resulting from the reliance or use of contents published in ZENITH, or for any errors, omissions or misstatements in ZENITH. Copyright Statement All contents in ZENITH shall be the property of ALAM unless otherwise stated. No parts of ZENITH may be reproduced, transmitted or copied in any form or means without the prior written consent of ALAM.
z Malaysian Maritime Academy Sdn Bhd 199601026280 (398632-A) Batu 30, Kampung Tanjung Dahan, 78200 Kuala Sungai Baru, Melaka +06 3882 377 / 372 +06 3876 700 mma@alam.edu.my Akademi Laut Malaysia (Official) www.alam.edu.my