As the new president of the Malaysian Society of Plant Physiology, allow me first of all to wish each member a ‘Blessed Year in 2008. 2007 was welcomed with floods in Johore and 2007 bid farewell again with floods in Johore, Kedah and Eastern States of Peninsular Malaysia. 2008 is welcomed anticipating the much talked fuel and toll increase that will contribute to increased cost of living.

The floods, drought and haze are only reminder to us, plant physiologists that we play a direct role to help mitigate or ameliorate these effects. The goal of the Society at its founding was to encourage research and education in the field of Plant Physiology and its application. While the name of the society reflects this goal, the research of topics has expanded to include the use of the latest molecular and genomic tools to investigate the function of plant communities, and ecosystem approaches in addressing the various challenges faced.

We celebrate the research achievements of our members by awarding a number of prizes including fellowship to attend scientific meetings, best poster awards and best student thesis, for outstanding contributions, or for distinguished service to plant physiology.

Our annual meetings are excellent places for students and postdoctoral fellows to join professional scientists in reporting their research results. The quality of the research reported in poster and oral presentations has been consistently outstanding. Although our country is host to a large group of plants, the plant biology/physiology group in Malaysia is not much larger than a village and the Society and its activities remain excellent avenues for young scientists to make important career connections.

The work of the Society is done by a large group of volunteers. I am grateful for the willingness of the members of the executive and the various committees that continue to make this a vital and vibrant society. I would like to especially express my gratitude for the work that was done during the past two years by our former president, A.P. Dr Siti Hajar Ahmad and A.P. Dr Hawa ZE Jaafar in spearheading a number of the society’s activities.