SHAH ALAM, 14 Jan: The argument estimating that 700,000 people attended the People’s Uprising Assembly (HKR112) last Saturday should be respected as it came from an expert mathematician.
The opinion was given by a former professor of the National University of Malaysia (UKM) Prof Dr Shaharir Md Zain who formerly was the President of the Malaysian Mathematical Sciences Society (PERSAMA).
This was said by PAS Deputy President, Mohamad Sabu to TV Selangor today.
“What he said is reasonable, because form an air view, not only did the participants fill the stadium, but it goes on outside for a few kilometres.
“It is not I that said it, but an expert in mathematics said it based on his knowledge,” said Mohamad Sabu.
Prof Dr Shahrir’s analysis was posted on his facebook page and was quoted from the Penang Insight news portal.
The calculation by the academician was based on his theory that one person would need two square feet to move comfortably.
Meanwhile Prof Dr Shahrir assumed that one kilometre is equivalent to 10,000 feet.
“If you walked 20 people along a splay of one kilometre, the total will be 100,000.
“The assumption is that 10,000 feet equals to one kilometre, one person requires two square feet to move comfortably.
“Thus, a 40-foot-wide road and 5,000 people can elongate the road. Therefore, 5,000 (people) times 20 (people) is 100,000 (people per kilometre).
“My question is how many kilometres did all the people who attended HKR add up to. The answer is 700,000,” he said, taking into account the view from the top of the stadium which is said to be a circumference of seven kilometres.
Prof Dr Shahrir who is also regarded as a Legendary Mathematician in Malaysia is a scientist and an expert in the field of pure mathematics in the sub-field of quantum physics.
He is also an expert in the field of Islamic science philosophy, etnomatematics, language and management theory as well as other fields.
He, who also held the post of President of the Malaysian Mathematical Sciences Society (PERSAMA) and also the head of UKM’s Mathematics Department is also the first Malay child to obtain a Ph.D. in the field of quantum physics mathematics.