Belangtara is the official name for the Universiti Putra Malaysia team for this ASAE ¼ Scale Tractor National Student Design Competition.  The name was inspired by Assoc. Professor Dr. Azmi Yahya, the former head of DBAE-UPM with the initial participation of team in the 2001 competition. 

“Belangtara 2001” was officially formed on February 16, 2001 with its motto “Journey of a thousand miles begin with a single step". Their presence, being the first and only team outside America and Canada, in the last year event was indeed a breakthrough and historical.  Their endurance, courage, and determination throughout the competition gave them 2 awards with extensive nation wide media publicity. 

“Belangtara 2002” with its motto “Standing in the Eyes of the World” was officially formulated on December 6, 2001 with a much bigger challenge to perform better in its second attempt in the up coming competition. The 11 student members in the team are resulted through screening process on the application forms and followed with personal interviews on the short-listed candidates by Dr. Azmi Yahya and a former team mate Mr. Gew Soon Kiat. The final team lineup consists of 9 undergraduates, 2 Masters Students, 2 technical advisors, and 2 lecturers.

The team is chaired by Dr. Abdul Rashid Mohamed Shariff, the present head of DBAE-UPM and lead by Mr. Ong Song Cong, the present President of Malaysian Society of Agricultural Engineers (Student Chapter). The team members are divided into 2 groups, the “Publicity and Fund Raising Group” and the “Design and Technical Group” to carry out the respective responsibility and tasks.  

For the second time again, the team is proud to have Professor Dato’ Ir. Dr. Mohd Zohadie Bardaie, the Vice Chancellor of Universiti Putra Malaysia as the patron for Belangtara 2002 tractor project.  The team operates at the Malaysian Society of Agricultural Engineers (Student Chapter) office and DBAE’s Technology Workshop.  Meetings among team members are held weekly to check and monitor their work progress.  Admittedly, the great efforts by team members, advisors and the university, the team shall be able to fulfill their dream to stand in the eyes of the world in the up-coming competition.