Road to Professional Engineer Malaysia

I'm back

2011-12-05T17:33:00.000-08:00

Hi my not so many readers,

If you want to know more about Professional Engineer in Malaysia, fell free to visit my new website : chemie.my

I just want to share my experiences.

Thanks

You must win at the first stage

2011-05-10T22:39:00.000-07:00

I had email to IEM HQ to ask regarding my PI result. It became more complicated. Now, my report has to be submitted to another commitee.

It is all began with the second interviewer who commented my PI report was not satisfactory. then, my report has been submitted to third reviewer. The third reviewer gave the same comment. Then, my report has been submitted to PI board. See... how complex it works. It is at the third stage now. Tomorrow, my report will be submitted to executi commitee. I have know the results. I'm going to fail.

The reason is simple. Normally, executive comittee will take the comment from their subordinate.

I had make a research on how to face any consequences. If pass, it all become nice. If fail, you should wait one year to sit back PI. Fuh!! so bored to wait.

By the way, the key point is, always tackle your first interviewer. In case second interviewer was not satisfy, the first interviewer can overwrite the second interviewer.

I was nervous. To be continued...

My PI ....

2011-04-20T21:33:00.000-07:00

I had been email to Mrs. Norimah yesterday asking about my PI results. She wrote back, my results was returned by third interviewer to IEM HQ.

Wah, it created more tensed. She also said that my results will be bring to IEM Meeting (another meeting). And the final outcome should be next week. My dear readers, please pray for me.

There are two consequences, whether fail or pass.

But I hope, it will be pass. Just to share, it took almost one year since I had submitted my application to sit for PI. My form had been rejected for 5 times... and now I'm going to face the results. Wait..............

My birthday

2011-04-17T06:04:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is my birthday.

I don't want any presents.

How about Iphone?

No.

How about Ipad?

No.

How about Samsung LED 3D TV?

No.

How about candle light dinner with Taylor Swift?

Don't be childish. So, what do you want?

Please somebody, call IEM HQ, and ask them to send me an email to say that I was successfully elected as a Corporate Member of IEM.

That's it.

Why engineer?

2011-04-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

I was read in a JURUTERA magazine published by IEM last month. It is simple to differentiate career as an engineer to other career. Let's we consider doctor, lawyer and engineer. How is it differ to each other.

Doctor, if doctor failed, one life goes away.

Lawyer, if lawyer failed, one goes to jail.

Engineer, if engineer failed, it will bring disaster.

Just....

2011-04-06T00:05:00.001-07:00

Eeventually, flood did not hit my house. Last Friday, after working, immediately I drove to my hometown in Kepala Batas, Penang. But, while driving to my hometown, my mind keep thinking about my house. Before my family and I depart from Perlis, the weather seems getteing better, but in the paddy field, flood was still occupied it.

When I arrived home, I still contacted my neighbour to ask them what is the conditions of our house. The answer is positive. The flood keep recede.

I have pass that flood phase. Now to facing another most worrying me.
When my PI results is to be announced?

Places hit by flood

2011-03-29T23:06:00.000-07:00

Just to share with my friends who lived in Perlis. Here the confirmed places hits by flood.

1. Roundabout TNB.

2. RHB Bank

3. Anjung Keli

4. Mahkamah

5. Hospital

6. Sek. Men. Teknik

7. ...if I have time, I will add more.

I'll be waiting until this evening, if there is no changes, keep raining, I must go to Penang.

Hopefully, no more flood.

it's gonna be flood again

2011-03-29T21:49:00.001-07:00

Before I embark to the story, I should briefing on what was happens, the raining keeps continuously since last two weeks. It's doesn't seem to give an indicator to stop. In this case, there are two possibilities, whether it going to stop or keep raining.

From the two possibilities above, we can again divide into two consequences for each conclusions. If the raining ceased, we in the Perlis state will be safe, because there is no flood coming in. But, if the rain keep continuosly fall, there are possibilities Perlis will struck in flood again (Perlis was hit by flood on last December).

That means the probability to be flood again is 50%. 50% to feel safe and 50% to receive the return of flood.

What is the pre-caution steps to be taken?

----------

This is my analysis.

a = no flood coming

b = flood.

a = 50% ; b=50%

if a,

continue your life as usual.

if b;

you should prepare many things,

i. Prepare money.

ii. Prepare food, in case flood encircle in your home.

iii. Prepare oil in your car tank.

iv. Prepare to move your car to higher place.

v. Prepare you spiritual and emotional.

vi. Take all your documents at a safe place.

vii. Throw away rubbish and old newspaper, no need to keep it because it is not the precious thing to transfer to your heir.

viii. Put your TV set at the solid table.

ix. Switch OFF your Distribution board.

x. Prepare to work hard after the water recede.

xi....of course many arguments to blame an authority.

-------

if you go for a, nothing to be waste.

if you go for b, nothing to be waste, but eventually, you keep at least prepare.

so, the best choice is b#.

------

The sky still look dark. there is no sign the rain will stop. I going to home now, to at least prepare on whatever occurs.

Thank you. Don't forget, please pray for no flood and I will past my PI. Hehe

Facing another problem.

2011-03-28T23:17:00.000-07:00

I had contacted IEM HQ, PJ. Yes, my report was submitted by IEM Kedah/Perlis, and IEM HQ had received it.

Now, I have to face another problem. Due to my interviewer, my PI results was not satisfactory. Hence, my report is to be taken by third party. I think it will be more crucial. As you know or maybe you already know, IEM HQ is more stringent compare to IEM branch. This process begin with, set up a meeting to find a proper reviewer. Then the reviewer take my documents, study and finally makes a conclusion. This process require 2-3 months. This process is carried out under Examination and Training (E&T) commitee.

So, what to do. At outside, raining keep continuosly since yesterday. My mind keep revolve. But I have an option to keep it stop. Guess? Yes, take my pillow and sleep.

If you read this, do pray for me. Thanks in advance.

Where's my results?

2011-03-02T18:53:00.000-08:00

Dear friends,

I'm still waiting for my PI results. Since 28 Dec 2010 until now, it's more than two months. Normally, if you take PI at HQ PJ, it only take 1 month to process. But, for my case, it has been drag to more than two months.

Yesterday, I was calling IEM HQ to check for my PI results, but IEM HQ staff informed that they still didn't received my documents. It makes me a little bit nervous. I'm worried if my document have been missing. HQ staff asked me to check with IEM branch.

Then, I've called IEM brach and IEM branch staff informed that they still waiting for second interviewer to return my document. That makes me relief.

The conclusions is, I must wait for how many months?

The answer is, up to IEM branch.

Waiting make me suffer.

professional interview

2011-01-05T16:24:00.000-08:00

salam to all,

i would like to share with readers what happen during interview session. Principle interviewer 1 arrive at 8.55 am. while waiting for the 2nd interviewer, we (me and 2 other candidates) was brief about the responsibility of PE. He also shares his experience during his PI.

He also want us to attract younger generation to become PE. then, 2nd interviewer arrive. after completing several forms, we then ask to select code of ethics question. I choose question number 2, about privatization. and another question which is created by interviewer was "how to encourage university student to become PE.

We then, write the essay for 3 hours sharp. we can't even discuss because it is very tough job to finish your essay with 1000 words each. my hand also was cramp. after 3 hours, we was asked to wait outside the meeting room before interviewer call one by one.

i am the second candidates. i introduce myself. give my background. then interviewer open my report and ask me page by page on what im doing. i can answer every questions. i feel good. the they ask me to design simple electrical system. i manage to do it.

suddenly, 1st interviewer ask me a very simple question, based on my drawing, what is ELR?

I silent, slent, silent and my answer is I don't know. Fuhh!! nice try.

So keep in mind, ELR is earth leakage relay.

I still don't know about my status. i was inform to wait for 2-3 months. till the just pray.

PI

2010-12-22T22:50:00.001-08:00

professional interviewer has contacted me. we agree to meet on this 28. wish me luck.

Electrical Engineer

2010-10-11T01:55:00.000-07:00

In electrical engineering field, there are three level,

At the most top : electrical service engineer

At the second : Competent electrical engineer

The third : Professional electrical engineer

4th : Graduate engineer

5th : Engineer with no registration with BEM.

Be professional engineer II

2010-10-10T17:53:00.000-07:00

Preparation for PI.

PI requires you to submit two types of report. report on your working experience and another one is report on your design.

For report A.

write about your past experience since your graduation ( including your practical session) until now. Give brief introduction about company you work with. who supervise you and also state there haw many month you work with them.

For report B.

select one project that you know in detail. get some drawing. write some equation. and produce tremendous results using excel.

Bind it, and submit.

that's all.

to be continued

Be professional engineer

2010-10-07T18:19:00.000-07:00

Prior registration with board of engineer malaysia, go to www.iem.gov.my and download graduate IEM membership from. register to become graduate member of IEM.

be graduate member of IEM is an optional, but it will help you tremendously. as you read new regulation of BEM, if you register to be graduate member BEM after 2008, you must collect PDP at least 90 points. So what is PDP? becoming a graduate member of IEM will help you solving this problem.

after 3 years working you can directly apply to sit professional interview. now, PI interview is only conducted by IEM. at this stage if you PDP not reach 90 points, you still can apply. remember PDP is only for registration with BEM.

to be continued....

Youngest professional engineer

2010-10-06T01:44:00.000-07:00

Hi again,

wah! it seem i too passionate to blog today.

hope to keep it.

well, to be professional engineer in malaysia firstly you must complete you degree study in engineering field. any engineering filed. but what you must ensure that your degree must be accredited by EAC. if not, then you must do some work (take exam or top-up master degree)

after graduation, immediately register with board of engineers malaysia as graduate engineer.

then, work for 3 years under supervision professional engineer which have same discipline with you. after 3 years apply for professional engineer

aiyah almost 5.00 pm, i continue tomorrow ha..

engineer and blog?

2010-10-06T01:30:00.001-07:00

is it okay for engineer to own a blog?

is it seem that engineer is too tough to write a blog..?

may i know, how many of you own a blog?

please leave you blog address and i'll support you.

Hi again

2010-10-06T00:17:00.000-07:00

Sorry for long time not posting in this blog. Besa la, org ada blog kita nak ada jugak. hehe to own blog is another thing and to keep maintain writing the blog is another hard thing.

so today and onwards, i would like to share and discuss with those interested on how to become a professional engineer in Malaysia.

As most of us know, to get an information on how to become professional engineer in Malaysia is damn difficult. if you digg from internet, the information is insufficient.

So I would like to call if some of readers have an experience to be a professional engineer, please share with us. it doesnt matter if you from civil, electrical or mechanical discipline.

shall we begin?

IEM president speech

2009-04-29T18:29:00.000-07:00

FROM NATION BUILDERS TO NATION MOVERS
The Immediate Past President, Past Presidents, Deputy President, Vice-Presidents, Members of Council, and my fellow engineers.

1. INTRODUCTION

It is indeed a very great honour for me to be standing in front of such a distinguished gathering today at this 49th Annual General Meeting (AGM) to deliver my Presidential Address. I would like to start by expressing my gratitude to the IEM Council for re-electing me as President of our learned Institution for a second term. I am humbled by the trust placed on me and I give my pledge to carry out this heavy responsibility with utmost diligence, care and integrity.

Next, I would like to thank the Executive Committee (Excomm), Council and most of all, the members of IEM for the support and assistance that you have given over the past 12 months as together we strive to bring our beloved Institution to ever greater heights. Your selfless dedication and invaluable contributions in terms of both time and effort has helped to ensure that our Institution and her members remain relevant and at the forefront of our nation’s development.

As Malaysians, we are proud that our nation has progressed by leaps and bounds over the past half century after attaining our independence in 1957. From a third world developing country, we are now poised to join the first world as an equal partner. With a strong and stable economy, Malaysia continues on her quest to become a developed nation by 2020. Whilst much progress has been made in the past, much more needs to be done over the next twelve years if we are to meet the demanding target of Vision 2020. And this has to be achieved in the context of an ever more competitive and borderless world.

IEM was established in May 1959. This means that our institution is entering her 50th year of existence after this 49th AGM. In many ways, the evolution of IEM over the past half century closely parallels that of Malaysia. This is not surprising considering the role that we, the engineers have played in building our nation, both literary and figuratively. Nevertheless, will the engineers and will our institution be able to deal with the coming challenges and will IEM still be the leading professional organisation in the country 12 years on? This question is particularly relevance in the light of the ever-evolving and ever-changing social-political situation, now greatly magnified by the reverberations of the recent 12th General Elections.

The role that we, the engineers have played as nation builders, is by no means small, either in the past, present or in the future. However, again and again, history has shown that those who do not change with time or heed the aspirations of society become irrelevant and are doomed to fall by the wayside. With this in mind, I have decided to address the challenges that our profession and Institution are currently facing, and I have chosen this need to change as the theme for my Presidential Address. More importantly, I would like to redefine the role of engineers in these challenging times. To remain relevant, the engineer has to change from being a nation builder (ie a service provider) into a nation mover (moulding the shape of our nation’s future).

Thus, fellow engineers, the title I have chosen for this year’s Presidential Address is ‘From Nation Builders To Nation Movers’.

2. BACKGROUND

When I stood before you a year ago, I spoke on ‘Re-engineering an Engineering Institution’, viz. the need to take a strategic approach so as to keep IEM relevant and make it the premier professional organization pivotal to Malaysia achieving Vision 2020, a theme which is as relevant today as it was then. A recap of my address included a review of the vision, mission and strategic plan of the IEM and the thirteen issues identified by the Review Committee on the IEM Organisational and Administrative Structure chaired by me in 2005. Moving on to the theme, I began by defining the meaning of the word re-engineering. Finally, I elaborated at length the processes involved in re-engineering and the strategic planning framework needed for its implementation.

How far have we progressed since then? I am pleased to report back that over the relatively short period of twelve months, and with the input and assistance of the Council, Excomm, the various Standing Committees, Sub-Committees and the general membership, there have been a number of notable achievements. Here is a quick review of our progress.

Many more engineers and engineering students have recognised IEM as THE representative body for our profession, and our membership has increased by an unprecedented 1,700 or 11 %. In line with the rejuvenation process, more than half of this new intake are young people. Meanwhile, the G&S (Graduates and Students) Section is re-branding itself as YES (Young Engineers Section).

Last August, the Excomm had a meeting with the Captains of Industry in Penang to look into attracting more Electronic engineers into the IEM fold. We are now finalising the establishment an Electronic Engineering Technical Division to be based in Penang.

The Council has accepted a proposal to speed up the process of membership. This requires some amendments to the Constitution which were placed before the AGM.

We have acquired a new building strategically located opposite the existing Bangunan Ingenieur. At the Branch level, we close to having a business plan for our land in Sabah, and we are amending our Rules and Regulations to permit us to take up the offer of a piece of land from the Government of Sarawak.

In moving with the times, IEM has made greater use of ICT by emailing information of its activities at all Branches and levels to its members. Similarly, the Annual Report and Statement of Accounts were uploaded into our Home Page for quick retrieval by members. We are now looking at greater use of the on-line capabilities of the internet eg. a member should be able to update and retrieve his/her CPD record on-line.

IEM is currently studying a possible restructuring of the governance structure to make it more decentralised, compact and agile, while retaining the institutional memory through better documentation of the decision making process and a possible creation of a Council of Elders or Advisors.

To improve our services to members, the IEM Secretariat has been strengthened and an Executive Director has been appointed. To retain staff and reduce turn-over, an improved remuneration package has been approved.

We will be organising a Colloquium to get feedback from members on the proposed revamp of the Registration of Engineers Act.

IEM has been playing a more proactive role in society by offering our services to the government (Federal and State), namely to assist in the OSC (One Stop Centres) under the CCC, and to be members in local government councils.

We have established an IEM-Pemudah Chapter to give our input to Pemudah, the body set up by Government to examine ways of improving our country’s competitiveness.

We have established a Pro-ETI Committee to help promote the export of Malaysian Engineering Services Abroad with assistance from MATRADE and MITI. The first such joint-venture was the participation at the Malaysian Services Exhibition 2008 in Sharjah, UAE.

In the international arena, IEM was requested to be the Secretariat of FEIAP (Federation of Engineering Institutions for Asia and the Pacific) which will replace the almost defunct FEISEAP (Federation of Engineering Institutions for South East Asia). The immediate task at hand is to operationalise FEIAP and to work on the “Asia Accord” along the lines of the Washington Accord.

The theme for my Presidential Address this year does not deviate from the core message of last year’s address. In fact, the one main lesson of the recent General Election is that the process of re-engineering ourselves is more urgent now than ever. If we are honest with ourselves, I would venture to say that we have barely begun on our journey. My role today is not only to remind us how important is the process, but more importantly, to define more closely the issues we need to focus on.

3. ENGINEERS AS NATION BUILDERS

When Malaysia gained independence in 1957, the national poverty rate was 57 %. Today, a half century later, that rate has dropped ten-fold to 5.7%. Back then, Malaysia was a developing country depending mainly on primary products such as tin, rubber and palm oil. Even then, engineers were already playing an important role in the economy. We were there in developing the plantations and in operating the mines and dredgers.

The initial stage after independence was a period of nation-building and at the forefront were the engineers who planned, designed, implemented and operated the basic infrastructure for the country. We built the roads, railways and new townships. We were the ones who brought electricity to the towns and countryside. We started water supply schemes to bring clean potable water to our towns and kampungs. These played a major role in improving the quality of life for the population and in reducing the level of poverty.

With the basic infrastructure in place, the country moved into the next stage viz. industrialisation. Engineers were again at the forefront - we built the factories and operated the machinery in them. We expanded on the national grid to meet the energy and power demands of our industries. We strengthened the highways, ports and airports to facilitate the export of our products.

Next, we helped to move our nation into the information era. We built the cyber networks and the hardware, and we were among the pioneers in developing the software. In many of these areas, the backbone of these systems requires engineering input. The hardware and software for producing computers and handphones, for example, requires the input of engineers.

Now, 50 years later, Malaysia is on the brink of realising her vision to be a developed nation, moving from an industrialised economy into an ICT economy. As an engineer, I am proud to say that the primary driver in this journey was the engineers who bore the brunt of the efforts to bring Malaysia into the 21st Century. Almost every aspect of modern Malaysia is due to the effort of engineers. Truly, we can claim that we, the engineers, were the nation builders. If there were no engineers, we would today be no better off than how we were 50 years back. The things that we have taken for granted and the huge improvement in the quality of our life has in fact come about through the toil and sweat of the engineers.

4. STATUS AND STANDING OF THE ENGINEER

Given that the engineers played such an important role in nation building, one would expect to see the status and standing of the engineer to be second to none. Given that engineering is so indispensable to the country and our quality of life, one would expect to see the demand for engineers in our economy to soar, and that the young would put engineering as their top career choice. Sadly this has not come to pass.

Fifty years after independence, it is obvious that the status of engineers and the desire to be an engineer has not kept pace with their contribution to the country. Engineers should be in high demand as well as highly paid, but this is not the case. Among the professionals, engineers comparatively draw a lower remuneration package. Even within the engineering dominated industries, such as the construction industry, engineers are not the most highly rewarded.

Engineers should be among the leaders of society but this is not so. Other than engineering-based organisations, few leaders in civil society are engineers. Even in the Malaysian Academy of Sciences, proportionately fewer engineers are elected as Fellows compared to the other disciplines.

To assist in the running of the Government, the Prime Minister has, in the past and present, appointed many advisors, including a science adviser, a religious adviser and most recently, an adviser on women affairs. He has had advisers in many areas, but we have not yet had someone appointed as his engineering adviser.

In the previous Cabinet, only one minister was an engineer. The situation has improved somewhat after the last general election. There are now three engineers in the current Cabinet, and even an engineer who was appointed as Menteri Besar (of Perak). However, no engineer has been promoted to be the State Secretary of any state or has ever risen to become Secretary General of a ministry, even for engineering centred ministries such as the Ministry of Works or the Ministry of Energy, Water and Communication.

In the workplace, few engineers are rising to the position of chief executive officers (CEOs). Even in engineering based companies, accountants and lawyers are replacing engineers as CEOs. Organisations that In the past were headed by engineers are no more headed by engineers today. A good example is in government linked companies (GLCs) such as Telekom Malaysia Berhad and Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB).

Even among the children of engineers, and among the cream of students, we are not seeing this great desire to be an engineer. Last year, during the IEM Open House, I had the opportunity to present prizes to the children of our members who had excelled in their exams. As they come up on stage to receive their prizes from me, I asked those who were entering university what field they were going to study. The sad truth is, very few of them chose engineering.

We, the engineers, have contributed so much to the nation - we have helped to reduce the poverty rate by ten-fold, and we have improved the quality of life for our population. So herein lies our dilemma - if engineers are so critical in developing the country and building the nation, then we should be in the forefront of society and in great demand. Why, why, why, are we not?

5. MOVING FORWARD AS NATION MOVERS

It has been said (perhaps too frequently) that the only constant is the need to change. After the ‘Political Tsunami’ of the last General Election, there has been much self-reflection and demands for change. Interestingly, the word most commonly used for drastic change is ‘re-engineering’! This is perhaps a recognition from society at large of the role of engineering, for the word engineering has its roots in ‘ingenuity’ and not ‘engine’ as is commonly believed. This is also why in Malaysia, professional engineers are allowed to use the honorific ‘Ir’ which is derived from the French word for engineer, Ingenieur.

Last year I spoke about the need to re-engineer our profession and our Institution. Frequently the process requires a paradigm shift in outlook. Thus, if the engineer as nation builder do not reap the anticipated rewards, then the engineer needs to reassess his/her role. Here, I am advocating that we change our role from nation builders to nation movers. A nation builder is in a sense a mere service provider, in this case providing the necessary engineering input as part of a bigger process. A nation mover on the other hand, will manoeuvre to be right at the centre of the process, to provide the direction and become the vital cog.

The first step in this journey will be to change the public (and perhaps the engineer’s) perception on the role of engineers. We need to shift from being backroom boys to become front-liners. Engineers are usually so engrossed in the technical aspects of what they do that they sometimes do not care to see the bigger picture.

A common fault seems to be that we focus too much on our view of the world that we sometimes do not see the forest for the trees. For example, the engineer who designs a building gets his/her joy and satisfaction in coming out with a fantastic design, and often neglects to appreciate the role of the building in society or how it would contribute to the economy. We forget that the building has to have a function and that it has to meet the needs of its occupants. Also, in an era or rising concern about global warming and climate change, we are still not looking sufficiently at the environmental footprint our works are creating.

Engineers are so engrossed in what they do that they have not ‘looked beyond the structure’. When working on a project, we need to not only consider the technical aspect, but the environmental, social and political aspect as well. Although the engineer is well trained and very competent in the former, we are not so conversant in the other three. Therefore, we need to look more at those areas. We need to think outside the box and look beyond the structure. We also have to reach out to our stakeholders. We need to care more for the environment and make sustainability a priority in our use of our natural resources.

From being nation builders, we now need to be nation movers. We have to play a bigger role in civil society and champion relevant issues such as road safety. We also have to be concerned about the environment, climate change and global warming. We have to be more vocal and active in fighting for a more prominent role for engineers, and we can start by being more active in IEM. At our last Council elections, only a mere 20.7 % of corporate members returned their ballot papers!

As we embark on this journey of change, we have to work towards making improvements in a number of areas such as :

Educating from young

Improving the training of engineers

Encouraging a better gender ratio in engineering

The shortage of engineering students, or more appropriately the reluctance among the young to pursue an engineering education is a phenomena faced not just in Malaysia, but also in a number of countries eg. Australia and UK. Partly this is due to the belief among school leavers that engineering is a difficult course (which it is) and thus they prefer to opt for an easier route. Partly it is due to the difficulties faced by many school children in maths and science. In addition our education system focus too much on teaching rather than learning ie. children are taught facts and information and are expected to remember, rather than learn through a more hands-on approach that encourages their inquisitiveness. I believe there is an urgent need to revamp our education system, and to deal with this problem from the roots up.

It is crucial to create greater awareness and cultivate greater interest in science and technology from young. Unfortunately the average child is spending more time watching entertainment programmes on television rather than informative documentaries, because science and technology are deemed to be ‘boring’. As a whole, our society lack awareness and appreciation of science and technology.

It also does not help matters when career guidance counsellors are not encouraging their students to take engineering courses, and are instead, advising them to opt for easier courses. One reason could be because an average student would have a tougher time dealing with these heavy subjects. Another reason, I believe, is also because there is a lack of appreciation of what engineers are doing and the role that they are playing.

Similarly, there is very little incentive for teachers to want to take up the tougher subjects like science and mathematics, when at the end of the day they get the same deal even if they specialised in lighter subjects. Thus, it is not easy to find teachers who are good in mathematics or science because the pool is very small. One way to improve this situation is to provide bigger incentives for people to be science or mathematics teachers. At the same time, more scholarships should be provided for students pursuing engineering courses.

At the tertiary level, there is a need to review course contents and study load. Our universities are churning out technically competent engineers with good technical knowledge but weak interpersonal skills, especially in communication. Traditionally, engineers tend to communicate through their drawings. However, in the process, they lag behind other professions in terms of their communication skills. Not many engineers speak and write well, and many would be very nervous if they are required to speak in public. This is certainly a weakness on the part of our education, or at least in our engineering education.

In addition, since the work output of engineers impact so much on all aspects of society and the environment, more attention has to be given to non-engineering subjects such as Engineer and Society, Sustainable Development and Use of Resources, Historical and Cultural Aspects of Engineering, Engineering Law, Green Building and Green Technology. Engineering students should be required to sign up for some liberal arts subjects so that they get a more holistic education.

With regards to gender, one of the main issues we need to deal with is the public’s perception that the engineering profession is exclusive to males. Yet in today’s world of science and technology, it is brain power and not brawn power that is crucial. Although the number of lady engineers is probably improving every year, it is still small compared to many other professions.

We need to encourage more response from the fairer sex. Some parents are reluctant to allow their daughters to go into engineering because there is a perception among the public that engineering is a physically demanding subject. They believed that, if you were a civil engineer, you would have to work under the hot sun.

We must now reach out and get more women to join engineering, for after all, women make up half the world’s population and our profession would be so much the loser if we do not tap this half of our brightest talents. We have to show that engineering is no longer a male dominated sector and physical strength has little or no role in making one a good engineer. Besides, as I have pointed out earlier, the word engineering is derived from ingenuity and not engine.

Fortunately the situation is not as bleak as it was in the past. Let me share with you a pleasant experience I had when I was recently invited as the guest of honour to the Malam Seri Budiman by Kolej 11, Universiti Putra Malaysia. This particular college is very unique because it is only open to girls, and only for those who are studying engineering or architecture. The fact that they allocated one college, which has about a few hundred students, only to girls is a good sign because this means that there are now quite a large number of females studying in these two fields which have always been very male dominated.

This is certainly a great improvement compared to when I was in university (much too long ago), where in my civil engineering class of 70, when there was only one female student. In the whole final year class of the various disciplines, there were only four women. Today, in some universities, we are seeing more girls than boys, and soon, we might come to a stage where people are asking, where are the boys?

For the moment though, the ratio is still too skewed. Within IEM, the number of women members is still small, and it is even worse when we look at the numbers participating in our committees or in Council. To address this imbalance, I would like to suggest that we consider some form of affirmative action and introduce a quota for women. After all, at the moment we have two representatives from the G&S Section in Council, but not from our Lady Engineers Section. We should remind ourselves that women make up half the general population and in the near future, they are likely to make up half the engineer population.

6. THE WAY FORWARD - TAKING THE LEAD

I started my Presidential Address by noting that IEM will be entering her 50th year of existence from next month, marking a half century of service to the members, the profession and the nation. Over this period, our Institution has grown from infancy to become the largest professional learned society in our country. This is the legacy of our forefathers, the Past Presidents and Council Members whose untiring efforts and selfless dedication were instrumental in making the IEM star shine so bright. We are all indeed thankful to them.

As IEM takes the first steps into her next half century of existence, the baton has now been passed to the Council of today to continue this fine tradition. The way forward will be even more challenging, but failure is not an option if our Institution is to remain relevant and respected by the public and our stakeholders. We have to learn from the mistakes of the past if we want to stay ahead of the competition. We will have to take the lead in a number of areas such as :

Making IEM more relevant and meaningful to the members

Empowering the young

Reviewing our core competency and our value proposition

Utilising the full potential of the Web

Speeding up the process of re-engineering

The ‘raison d’etre’ (reason for its existence) of IEM is to service the needs and aspirations of the general membership. As needs and aspirations change with time, more frequent feedback is necessary to better feel the pulse of the membership. We need to narrow the gap between the governing bodies and the general membership. We need to ensure that our activities are demand-led. As a start, more dialogue sessions will be organised and greater emphasis made to reach out to the Branches.

At the same time, I would like to see greater participation of members in IEM activities as well as in the governance. During the recent General Election, the voter turnout was about 70 % - 80 %. However, during the recently concluded 2008 IEM Council Election, only 20.7 % of eligible members voted. The question that begs to be asked is, why are so few of our members voting? Why are the majority not exercising their right to decide on who should be in Council to run the Institution on our behalf? We are all paying a subscription, why don’t you want to have a say in how it is to be utilised?

The second area in taking the lead is to reach out to our young members, as after all, they make up half of the membership. More importantly, they are going to be the leaders of tomorrow. Currently within IEM, we have a structure of governance in which out of the 16,700 members, only half are entitled to vote or to stand for office. Isn’t it time we consider giving the graduates (and the affiliate and the associate members) the same rights? During every AGM, graduate members have to be reminded that they cannot participate in the voting and, even though we have G&S representatives in the Council, they are only observers who are not entitled to vote. Isn’t it ironic that they can decide who the Prime Minister should be, but not their President?

Thirdly we have to review our core competency and our value proposition. In the past, many engineers became members of IEM solely because it was the pathway for them to be registered as professional engineers with the Board of Engineers. That was our value proposition for them. They were not really interested in what was happening within IEM, nor were they eager to participate in IEM activities. Today, engineers can become professional engineers through a separate route ie. through the PAE. For this group, we have to enhance our value proposition and value add to the services provided by IEM. One such area is in increasing opportunities for members to gain CPD hours.

Year by year, the internet is exerting an ever greater influence in how business should be run. The potential is mind bogging, yet IEM is barely exploiting it. We use email to communicate and to circulate news and notices. We make our reports and papers available for downloading. However, these are just the tip of the iceberg. IEM has to be more techno savvy and utilise the full on-line potential of the internet. In the future, members should be able to pay their annual subscriptions on-line, or to directly make a change in address. Electronic versions of our Bulletins and Journals can reduce our postage bills.

As President, I too cannot continue to shy away from the Web. I will have to overcome my ignorance and start a presidential blog. In the age of technology, we have see how the politicians have already begun to do that as they realise the power and reach of the Internet. After the recent election, we have seen bloggers becoming Members of Parliament, and we have also seen ex-Menteri Besar and ex-Members of Parliament becoming bloggers.

Finally, we need to quicken the speed of re-engineering ourselves. Business as usual is no longer tenable. In the past, life was more leisurely and we could afford to get by with strolling. Today even striding is considered too slow and we have to move several gears up to jogging pace and thence to sprinting. If we cannot keep pace with change, we will end up as the relics of history; outdated and of no more use. Instead of remaining the premier professional organisation in the country, we could end up as the organisation that has outlived its ‘raison d’etre’.

As I stated last year, none of these actions would be easy; but we have to move ahead with courage and honesty, because our members’ and our profession’s interests over-ride anything else. I will work with members of the Council to find the most effective combination of actions. I will listen to anyone who has a good idea to offer - you can blog me!

7. CONCLUSION

My fellow engineers, ladies and gentlemen. Looking at the bigger picture, I would like to draw a parallel with the recently concluded General Election to describe our transition to become nation movers. In a sense, this election was a watershed that led to a major change in the political scenario in the country. It has brought to the fore the question of relevancy and change. For the first time since independence, we now have a viable choice, the main effect of which is that both the ruling party and the opposition party will have to improve or risk losing even more public support when the next election comes around.

The lesson that IEM would have to learn from all of this is that the world is changing, and changing fast. If we do not put our eyes and ears to the ground, we could find that we have been left behind. We are facing many changes and challenges, and we need to be able to respond to them. Many of the things that we took for granted are disappearing. What used to be so comfortable for all of us, would not be so in the future. I would like IEM to take the lead in this quest for change, and to change the engineers from being nation builders to becoming nation movers. Together, we can make our profession better known, as well as improve the status and image of engineers. If we succeed, then even 50 years from now, we would still be maintaining our position as the largest and most relevant professional body in the country.

In closing, I take this opportunity to thank all of you for the trust you have placed in me and the incoming Council, and I hope for your continued support and cooperation during my second term as the President of the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia.

Seminar

2009-04-29T01:36:00.000-07:00

For those who are interested in collecting CPD points, please welcome to join. Graduate member need to pay only RM30 for 8 points.

ONE DAY SEMIINAR ON ELECTRIICAL PROTECTIION FOR HUMAN,, MACHIINE AND SYSTEM

(Organised by IEM Penang Secretariat with support from ABB Malaysia Sdn Bhd)

Date : 14th May 2009 (Thursday)

Time : 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Speaker : Mr. Sergio Giacomo Carrara

Venue : Gurney Hotel, Penang

SEMINAR SYNOPSIS

The scope of this Seminar is to provide the participants with necessary information about the main normative aspects regarding protections and in

particular against over-currents, short-circuits, earth fault and indirect contacts, illustrating the solution proposed by ABB SACE. Furthermore

particular attention is paid to the protection devices and how to select them in case of protection of loads and people and balancing the selective coordination

requirements.

BIODATA OF SPEAKER

Sergio is an electronic engineer and has 19 years of experience in ABB SACE where he started in 1989 with Medium Voltage and Low Voltage

products and solutions. He began inside the domestic sales organisation as promoter and electrical engineer for important domestic plants

(hospitals, airports, water treatments, exhibition centers and so on) supporting the consultants and the industries with projects and economical

analysis.

TENTATIVE PROGRAMME

8.30 – 9.30 a.m. – Registrations

9.30 - 9.45 a.m. - Welcoming Remarks

9.45 - 10.15 a.m. - Session 1: Protection - Feeders

10.15 – 10.30 a.m. – Tea Break

10.30 - 12.00 p.m. – Session 2: Protection of electrical equipment

12.00 – 2.30 p.m. - Lunch

2.30 - 3.30 p.m. – Session 3: Calculation

3.30 – 3.45 p.m. - Tea Break

3.45 – 4.45 p.m. – Session 4: Protection of human beings

4.45 – 5.00 p.m. - Questions and Answers / End

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

All fees must be fully paid before commencement of the Seminar otherwise participants will not be allowed to enter the Seminar/Conference Hall.

Reservation/Booking by fax or email of intending participants are accepted with payment being forwarded before the closing date. If a place is

reserved and the intended participants failed to attend the Seminar on the date of the event, the fees are to be settled in full. Completed registration

form accompanied by cash/cheque/PO/MO to be made payable to “The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia” account and should reach the IEM

Secretariat not later than 12th May 2009 (Tuesday).

The fee paid is non-refundable. However, substitution of participant(s) will be permitted with approval by IEM. In view of the limited places

available, intending participants are advised to send their registration as early as possible so as to avoid disappointment. The Organising

Committee reserves the right to cancel, alter or change the program due to unforeseen circumstances. Every effort will be made to inform the

registered participants of any changes.

Registration fee includes lecture notes, two refreshments and a lunch.

The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (Penang Branch)

Level 5, 5-A, Northam Venture,

37, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, 10050 Penang.

Tel: 04-8182045 Fax: 04-2264490

E-mail: iempenangbranch@gmail.com

BEM APPROVED

CPD/PDP HOURS: 8

Ref. No.:

IEM09/PG/136/S

REGISTRATION FORM

One-Day Seminar on “Electrical Protection on Human, Machine and System”

Date: 14th May 2009 (Thursday)

Time: 8.30 am to 5.00 pm

Venue: GURNEY HOTEL, PENANG

REGISTRATION FEES

Student Graduate IEM Member Non-IEM Member Senior IEM Member > 55 yrs

RM 10.00 RM 30.00 RM 100.00 RM 150.00 RM 100.00

(Closing Date: 7 May 2009)

Name of Organisation: ……………………………………………………………………………………..

Address: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Tel: …………………….... Fax: ………..…………… Email: …………………………………………….

We wish to register the following person(s) for the seminar:

NO. NAME HANDPHONE IEM NO. BEM NO.

FEES

(RM)

1.New IC:

2.New IC:

3.New IC:

4.New IC:

Enclosed a cheque no: …………………for RM ….………… in favour of “The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia”.

Contact Person: …………………………… Designation: ………………………………………

Signature: …………………………………. Date: …………………………..

Robocon 2009

2009-02-19T19:06:00.000-08:00

Title

ABU Asia-Pacific Robot Contest 2009 TOKYO
(Alias: ABU Robocon 2009 TOKYO)

Organiser

ABU (Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union)

Host Organisers

ABU Asia-Pacific Robot Contest 2009
Host Organising Committee
(Comprised of NHK, NHK ENTERPRISES INC.)

Venue

TBA

Schedule (tentative)

Thu. 20 Aug.
Participants' arrival

Fri. 21 Aug.
Rehearsal & test-run

Sat. 22 Aug.
Contest Day

Sun. 23 Aug.
Friendship Exchange Programme
General Meeting, PD Workshop

Mon. 24 Aug.
Participants' departure

Contest theme & rules

Travel Together for the Victory Drums

For more information, please go to: http://www.aburobocon2009.com/

Happy chinese new year

2009-01-22T16:14:00.000-08:00

I would like to wish Happy chinese new year to all my blog reader. Remeber, don't take a long leave. Please come to work you enjoy the holiday. Engineers need to ensure everything run as planned.

Please ensure, after you come back, you're still in a good condition.For others, happy holiday.

Please take care of yourself.Please ensure, after you come back, you're still in a good condition (without any modification on your body).

bear in mind. Engineers move the nation.

Thank you.

Song for P. Eng., MIEM

2009-01-07T23:44:00.001-08:00

This song is special dedicated to all professional engineers in malaysia. ( lyric is here, you need to sing your own)

here i present,

stay the same by john mcintyre

Don't you ever wish you were someone else,
You were meant to be the way you are exactly.
Don't you ever say you don't like the way you are.
When you learn to love yourself, you're better off by far.
And I hope you always stay the same, cuz there's nothin' 'bout you I would change.

[Verse]I

think that you could be whatever you wanted to beIf you could realize,
all the dreams you have inside.
Don't be afraid if you've got something to say,
Just open up your heart and let it show you the way.

[Chorus][Bridge]

Believe in yourself.
Reach down inside.
The love you find will set you free.
Believe in yourself, you will come alive.
Have faith in what you do.
You'll make it through

welcome back and happy new year

2009-01-01T23:05:00.000-08:00

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome back UniMAP student from a long rest.
Hope you have perform very well during last semester.

I also would like to wish Happy New Year to all!

For student who may taken ECT 100 and ECT 200, please, regularly check the notice board for an information regarding this subject.

I'll all of you will perform better for this semester.

Electrical engineering

2008-10-28T17:45:00.000-07:00

Electrical engineering

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Electrical Engineers design complex power systems...

... and complex electronic circuits.

Electrical engineering, sometimes referred to as electrical and electronic engineering, is a field of engineering that deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical power supply. It now covers a range of subtopics including power, electronics, control systems, signal processing and telecommunications.

Electrical engineering may or may not include electronic engineering. Where a distinction is made, usually outside of the United States, electrical engineering is considered to deal with the problems associated with large-scale electrical systems such as power transmission and motor control, whereas electronic engineering deals with the study of small-scale electronic systems including computers and integrated circuits.^[1] Alternatively, electrical engineers are usually concerned with using electricity to transmit energy, while electronic engineers are concerned with using electricity to transmit information

Happy Deepavali

2008-10-28T17:37:00.000-07:00

I would like to wish our Hindu members, a very happy and joyous Deepavali, a celebration of Light and receiving much successes and healings ahead for the year.

Thank you

ACEM wish list for "Revamp of REA"

2008-07-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

By Ir. TL Chen

No.	Proposed Wish List	Rationale
.1	Re-examine or re-establish the purpose of the Registration of Engineers Act and determine its Prime/Principal objective(s): · Serve and protect public interest? · Regulate the practice of professional engineering? · Regulate the qualifications and conduct of professional engineers? · Regulate corporations which supply professional services? · Regulate the practice of engineering consultancy profession?	If the Act is to protect public interest by regulating the engineers, then the Act should be steered towards the practising engineers.
.2	To clearly define and differentiate between ‘Practising Engineers’ and ‘Practising Engineering’.	To enable the Act to achieve its Prime/Principal objective(s).
.3	The BEM Board should comprise more than 50% practising engineers. The President or Deputy President of BEM should be a practising engineer.	If the principal objective is to regulate practising engineers, then majority of the Board members should be conversant with practice issues to understand the in’s and out’s of the industry. It should be worth noting that in Canada, the regulation and licensing of consulting engineers is by its Association of Consulting Engineers established under an ACT! To consider the Singapore model of the entire Board being elected by members including the position of President.
.4	There is need to either forget totally about registering engineers or clearly define distinct categories of engineers who wish to sell their services and those who prefer other vocation, related or unrelated to engineering.	All engineers have a choice of either upholding the profession in providing service or not to practise. Perhaps these can be segregated with the use of Ir. for both categories, and P Eng. for those electing to practise. 1)
.5	Registration of engineers and licensing should be separated. A registered engineer should have at least 10 years relevant experience before he/she could be licensed to practise as a sole-proprietor, partner or Director in a body corporate.	The Act does not uphold the status of engineers – the entry qualification to P.Eng status enables ‘automatic’ licence to practise, which has led to a decline in practice standards. The present Professional Interview format must be reviewed. Consider adopting the format of registration for: 2) Graduate Engineers (similar to issuance of Birth Certificates) to ascertain that their degree are bona fide; 3) Non Practising Professional Engineers (akin to Identity Cards) for those with 4 years experience and pass the Board’s ‘existing format of’ professional examination; 4) Practising Engineers (practising licence similar to driving licence) for Category 2) Non Practising Engineers who pass the Board’s competency tests.
.6	Limitation of Professional Liability to be included in the Act.	The issue has been documented in the paper prepared by BEM Working Group on Long Stop Liability, which is still pending AG approval.
.7	Registration of Accredited Checkers should include body corporates, not just individuals.	An individual may not have Professional Indemnity Insurance coverage, whereas a firm would likely obtain PII coverage when acting as a Checker. Moreover, an individual would need technical support from his firm to carry out the tasks as a Checker.
.8	Disciplinary action needs to be dispose off expeditiously. It is suggested that BEM’s disciplinary proceedings to follow along the lines of the Bar Council for their method of expedient disciplinary hearings and decisions. The Bar Council’s Advocates & Solicitors Disciplinary Board dispose off a case between 6 months to 3 years depending on the complexity of the case. As such BEM must have the power to summon people to appear before the Investigation Committees.	Board members must also be appointed from members who are willing and ready to give priority to the function of the Board during the period that they agree to serve. Perhaps typically busy corporate figures should be exempted from such regulatory service to the nation. Without resolving this issue, even if the disciplinary quorum is reduced further to 3, there will still be no quorum. And worst still, if there is no regular meeting, there is no case to dispose of.
.9	Right to arbitrate to be included in the Act.	The Act should empower BEM to arbitrate on fee disputes between Clients and Engineers, which are relatively simple and straight forward to resolve.
.10	The Act should empower BEM to take action against engineers not registered with BEM and non-engineers.	The current Act can be termed as discriminating against registered engineers, and the Act has no clout against others who flout its laws.
.11	Review the registration of engineering consultancy practices (sole proprietorship, partnership and body corporates).	The current Act can only regulate individuals. As such, the need to register engineering consultancy practice is meaningless, apart from fee collection. Registration of ECP can be made relevant by mandating that engineers can only practise consulting services through approved ECPs.
.12	Definition of engineering services should cover all aspects of the engineering fraternity and not leave loopholes for others to attempt to exploit/monopolise any engineering sector.	Any loophole in the definition of engineering services allow for others such as the Valuers/Building Surveyors, to attempt to exploit/monopolise as is currently being debated for Facility Maintenance.
.13	The Act should empower BEM to enforce the Scale of Fees.	It is crucial that engineers get a fair fee for their services to ensure a high standard of engineering services.

Review of the Registration of Engineers Act 1967 (Revised 2007)

2008-06-30T18:49:00.000-07:00

By Engr. Dr. Teoh Seng Giap, incorporating comments from Engr. David N. Welch, Engr. Dr Aminuddin Mohd Baki & Engr. Nor Hisham b Mohd Ghazali.

1) Clause 8: Only Professional Engineer and Engineering consultancy practice may submit plans, drawing, etc.

1.1) Interpretation:

1.1.1) Who is qualified to do submission?

1.1.2) Submissions of products of engineering services (e.g. plans, drawings, design, and etc. al.) are exclusive to qualified Professional Engineer (PE) or Engineering Consultancy Practice (ECP).

1.1.3) Except otherwise provided under other written law and sub-clause (4).

1.2) Intent:

1.2.1) To ensure engineering services are delivered with predetermined standards by qualified personnel.

1.2.2) To safeguard public from misled by unqualified personnel.

1.3) Review:

1.3.1) There are engineers without Ir., but are qualified in technical experience. Perhaps the Act could be amended to differentiate this group of engineers from recent graduated engineers. The contributions of these experienced engineers toward mentoring and training the recent graduated engineers in technical areas are worth noticing. Also, these experienced engineers surely could perform many “professional engineering services”.

1.3.2) Currently the submitting person is responsible for the submitted plans, design, etc. al., and not the ECP. Perhaps ECP could be made to share responsibility, just like a PE. In my opinion, ECP has an essential role in ensuring the quality of engineering services. This is just another corporate social responsibility.

1.3.3) A variation to the above Item 1.3.2 is a suggestion for the rules to state that the submitting body (person or company) be the entity named by the Client in the Agreement as the Consulting Engineer. If this is an individual, said individual should undertake all submissions in compliance with the ACT; if on the other hand the service provider in the Agreement is an ECP, then the ECP should undertake the submission, not a staff of the ECP in his individual capacity. Who can represent and be held responsible for the ECP should also be clearly spelt out.

1.3.3.1) Incidentally, this suggestion is somewhat inline with "Universal Declaration of Engineers' Rights" by Walter L. Elden, i.e.” ... Further, as nearly all Professional Engineer licensing laws provide that there is an "industry exemption" from those laws, employee engineers engaged in industry have no recourse to these regulatory bodies either when their employment is threatened as they attempt to "protect the public", in opposition to some wish or dictate from their employer to the contrary....”.

1.3.4) The Clause implies that any of the listed “professional engineering services” should be signed on handover by a PE. This means, say, a resident engineer representing ECP on site must be a PE because only then he can perform “professional engineering services”, and sign and submit as-built plans to the ECP on completion of works (as he is employed by the ECP). The ECP will subsequently engage another staff (a PE) to submit the plans to the Authority (as very often the resident engineer is not the first or original submitting person). Is this the correct interpretation?

1.3.4.1) If yes, it also implies that as-built plans must be submitted by more than one qualified person, namely, M&E PE to submit M&E as-built plans and C&S PE to submit C&S as-built plans.

1.3.4.2) Item 1.3.6.1 is further complicated by various sub-disciplines that the PE is qualified. E.g. a resident engineer may be a qualified structural PE, but not necessary qualified geotechnical PE or drainage PE or highway PE.

1.3.5) The liability for the submission should not be carried indefinitely but for a stipulated duration, say 10 years.

1.3.6) Submitting person is normally fully responsible for the plans submitted to Authorities. In today’s practice, contractors often propose alternate design to the original design that has been submitted. Currently, if the alternate design is accepted either “at-will” or being “coerced into accepting” by the first original design engineer, the first design engineer will have to take a huge responsibility. Because of this and other commercial reasons, the first design engineer and the second alternate design engineer often spend quite a bit of time in resolving the acceptance. Sometimes, the second design engineer is overly simplified and optimistic (and occasionally overly commercial), while the first design engineer could be conservative and unreasonably demanding on the second design engineer. The Client often has to mediate between the two and it is not always easy to find an agreement (especially if the Client is not technical incline).

1.3.6.1) I propose second design engineer ought to take full responsibility of the alternate design and be allowed to re-submit to Authority, and hence discharge the first design engineer of his duty.

2) Clause 9: Registered Engineers, etc., subject to this Act.

2.1) Interpretation:

2.1.1) Who is bound by the Act?

2.1.2) All registered engineers and ECP must comply with this Act.

2.1.3) The Act stipulates who is permitted to provide “professional engineering
services”; they are essentially those who are registered with the Board and thereby required to comply with the provisions of the Act. The exceptions to this are those listed in Clause 8 (4)(a) to (4)(d).

2.2) Intent:

2.2.1) To regulate engineers and ECP.

2.3) Review:

2.3.1) Consequences for unqualified personnel or ECP submitting plans and providing professional engineering services are stipulated in Clause 24. However, bringing public awareness on the matter, policing and enforcement machinery and procedure of enforcement on non-engineers (or companies engaging engineers) are silent. Perhaps the revised Act could improve on this.

2.3.2) Interesting question that needs to be answered is whether the Act enables criminal proceedings to be brought against those (engineers or non-engineers) unregistered with the Board (and not in the list mentioned in Clause 8 (4)) who have provided “professional engineering services” in Malaysia. If so who initiates actions.

2.3.3) Hypothetically, an engineer recently graduated from University and currently practicing engineering, but does not registered with the Board. What will happen next? Does the Act entrust the Board to take actions and stop the engineer from continuing the service?

2.3.4) Another scenario. Say a sale person is promoting an engineering product. In the process of promoting sales, the sale person extends additional service to the potential purchaser. The sale person advises the purchaser on the usage of the product from the engineering perspective and claiming performance of the product in resolving issues at hand. However, the sale person is not a qualified engineer and does not register with Board. Does the Act entrust the Board to take actions and regulate the engineering service?

3) Clause 10: Qualifications for registration.

3.1) Interpretation:

3.1.1) Who is qualified to register with the Board?

3.1.2) Briefly, Graduate Member of IEM or person with the recognized qualification may register with the Board.

3.1.3) Who is qualified to register as PE?

3.1.4) Person who complies with the requirements of the Board and passes the professional assessment examination or a Corporate Member of IEM.

3.2) Intent:

3.2.1) To regulate engineers (with or without Ir.) and ECP.

3.3) Review:

3.3.1) In between Graduate Engineer and PE, perhaps there should be another group of engineers, namely those who have graduated many years and have adequate technical experience but no Ir. (See Item 1.3.1 above).

3.3.2) Person who is holding a position carrying the title “engineer” perhaps should be registered with Board (e.g. sale engineer). This is to ensure the word “engineer” is used in appropriate context. Likewise, all graduate engineers ought to register with the Board.

4) Clause 10A: Registration of Temporary Engineers.

4.1) Interpretation:

4.1.1) Can foreign engineers register with the Board?

4.1.2) Foreign engineers with the necessary qualification and reside in Malaysia for not less than 180 days may registered as Temporary Engineers and perform the function of PE.

4.2) Intent:

4.2.1) To regulate foreign engineers.

4.3) Review:

4.3.1) As worded in Clause 2(a), it implies that a foreign engineer becomes eligible for consideration if “he possesses the necessary qualification which is recognized for the practice of engineering as a professional engineer in the country where he normally practices”. Therefore

4.3.1.1) the person need not be currently registered in his country to practice (he may have allowed his registration to lapse, or perhaps have had his registration revoked temporarily or otherwise for one reason or another).

4.3.1.2) it could be any country, regardless of whether Malaysia recognizes their standards for licensing professional engineers.

4.3.2) A suggestion for alternative wording on Clause 2(a):

4.3.2.1) “he holds a current registration for the practice of engineering as a professional engineer in a country in the Board’s list of approved countries.”

4.3.3) Clause 2(b) excludes a resident representative of a local based foreign company from providing “professional engineering services” unless the foreign company is in a joint venture with a local company? Is this by design?

4.3.4) Can the Board (or any other body) impose and enforce the Act on a Temporary Engineer who has submitted plans, design, and etc. al. or perform engineering services and left the country (or after their temporary registration has lapsed, especially since it would seem from Clause 15 (1), that Board can only take action against engineers registered with it)? Legal help may be necessary to clarify this and tighten loose ends, should there be any.

4.3.5) Incidentally, concern described in Item 4.3.4 also applies to local engineers, who have retired or decided to discontinue with their Board’s registration (like if they suspect some very drastic action could be pending).

5) Clause 10B: Registration of Accredited Checker

5.1) Interpretation:

5.1.1) Who is qualified to register as Accredited Checker?

5.1.2) A person with a recognized standing in the profession may be registered as
Accredited Checker.

5.2) Intent:

5.2.1) To regulate the Accredited Checkers.

5.2.2) To ensure Accredited Checker could perform their function to predetermined standards.

5.3) Review:

5.3.1) It would seem from 10B (1)(b) that the services of Accredited Checkers are only anticipated for review of structural works, particularly with respect to “design and construction of buildings”. What about infrastructure and geotechnical works or for that matter for disciplines other than civil? Even if the present intention is have accredited checking only for limited applications, why be restrictive in the Act. Why not allow now for future expansion of the scope for Accredited Checkers, as and if the need arises? Suggest wording as follows for 10B (1)(b):

5.3.1.1) “he has at least 10 years practical experience satisfactory to the Board in the relevant branch and discipline of engineering.”

5.3.2) The scope for accredited checkers is not clear and needs to be explained. Elaboration of Clause 10B (2) is necessary.

A new and fit-for-purpose Malaysian “Engineering Act”

2008-06-30T18:47:00.002-07:00

By Engr. HT Wong

A new and fit-for-purpose Malaysian “Engineering Act” relevant for the time and the 21^st Century borderless and competitive global market; a primer by Engr. Rocky HT Wong for the proposed IEM Blog to enable exchange of views and ideas among IEM members – with a view to float up a consensus towards a brain-storming session among the IEM membership:-.

Historical back-drop:

In the early 60’s when certain failures of engineering works occurred; especially the high-profile case of the collapse of a shop-house, under construction, in Jalan Raja Laut K.L, which resulted in fatalities – a Royal Commission of Enquiry was formed to look into the causes.

Typically of the “pendulum-swing theory” and in response to the public out – cry, the call to regulate the practice of engineering, among other reasons, resulted in the “Registration of Engineers” Act (REA) passed by Parliament in 1967.

However, the Board of Engineers, Malaysia (i.e BEM) was only operationalised on 22nd August 1972; and that too, was after an amendment was made to the REA on 7th July 1972.

The original intention of the Act was to register all Malaysians who practice engineering (one way or another, either in private practice, or in employment). Hence, the BEM was effectively the “Register” of Malaysian engineers who were expected to follow a set of “Do’s” and “Don’ts” rules; with additional guidelines for those natural persons, the engineers, in private practice as Consulting Engineers such as “Model Forms” of Agreement etc.

Then in 1987, by Act A662 (of 16th January 1987), the REA (1967) was amended to also register “Bodies Corporate” (in other words, legal persons) with the introduction of Clause 7A.

With WTO coming into being in 1995-following that and on the instruction from the Cabinet (the Minister of Works then was Leo Moggie instead of Sammy) the BEM was instructed to amend the REA to be relevant for globalization and trade liberalization.

It was a long time in coming among the various reasons given was that the consisting REA was a “mosquito act” but frankly, the “powers that be” did not understand “globalization”; and that the Board consisting of too many government servants, who were not in private-practice, and hence their views were not in sign with the realities of the market practice.

However, for all the “long and the short”, and with much “cut and paste” and the Act still remaining in its original forum, the “major” amendment was finally approved by Parliament on 1st December 2002 via Act A1158 – with “Bodies Corporate” being replaced by Engineering Consultancy Practices; ie ECP’s - applying to natural and legal persons.

Then with the Prime Minister’s call to improve the public delivery system (after the 2004, 11th general elections) – with the introduction of the “CCC” the REA (1967) was promptly amended by Act A1288 on 1st April 2007.

All the amendments to date (there were 6 in total) kept the REA in its original form but has since shifted from purely a “Register” of natural persons – the engineers – to be both a “Register” of natural persons – the engineers, and the “Licensing Board” of ECP’s (be they natural or legal persons).

The Board’s Amendments to the REA Committee (or Engineers Act Committee), has been tasked since 2004, to look into the “re-vamp” of the REA to be relevant for the time and the globalized economy which is highly competitive.

Then, the Board (i.e the BEM) at its meeting held on 15th April 2006, resolved to embark on a major effort to critically and comprehensively review the current Act and to propose necessary changes to note; it is not going to be a “revamp” of the Act! Well, well.

There is a recommendation to the Board to solicit feedback and inputs from various stakeholders; and accordingly, the IEM (which has representations to the Board of the BEM, the Engineers Act Committee as well as the Committee’s Working Group) in tern is now, by way of its blog, seeking feedback and inputs from the IEM membership at large.

The Position-to-Date

To date, work by the various parties and the BEM’s and EA Committee’s WG have gone through the fundamentals of a relevant Act for the practice of engineering from the dual stand points of:

Protect public interests; and
The practice of the full spectrum of engineering and integrated engineering services in a competitive market environment.

Areas covered so far include the following: -

To look at the safety of the public
To emphasis more on the qualification regulation
To emphasis more on the professional services application
To emphasis more on the consultancy license
Do wee need to register the graduate engineers?
Issues of safety and competency
CPD requirements; is it necessary?
MRA

Request:-

Please post your views on any or all of the above areas, or other areas, which you believe, are of importance to the practice of engineering and to the profession of engineering.

A new and fit-for-purpose Malaysian “Engineering Act”

2008-06-30T18:47:00.001-07:00

By Engr. HT Wong

Protect public interests; and
The practice of the full spectrum of engineering and integrated engineering services in a competitive market environment.

Areas covered so far include the following: -

To look at the safety of the public
To emphasis more on the qualification regulation
To emphasis more on the professional services application
To emphasis more on the consultancy license
Do wee need to register the graduate engineers?
Issues of safety and competency
CPD requirements; is it necessary?
MRA

Request:-

Please post your views on any or all of the above areas, or other areas, which you believe, are of importance to the practice of engineering and to the profession of engineering.

Shape shifting skyscraper

2008-06-27T01:11:00.000-07:00

Imagine a skyscraper with floors that each rotate independently at different speeds. That's the idea behind architect David Fisher's Dynamic Tower, which, once built, would be the world's first 'moving' building.

Because each floor of such a tower would rotate independently, the building would constantly change shape, resulting in a unique and evolving architectural structure.

The tower would also be designed to be self-powered, generating its own electricity, as well as power for other nearby buildings, with wind turbines fitted between each rotating floor. 'An 80-story building would have up to 79 wind turbines, making it a true green power plant,' Dr Fisher said.

The skyscraper itself could be built entirely from prefabricated parts that are custom made in a workshop, resulting in cost savings. The approach - known as the Fisher Method - requires far fewer workers on the construction site, lowering costs.

Indeed, Fisher believes that construction of one tower would require only 600 people in an assembly facility and 80 technicians on a construction site, instead of the 2,000 workers usually required to erect a traditional building of a similar size.

The Rotating Tower might make its first appearance in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, if Fisher has his way. This week, he said that a 420 metre, 80 floor tower would be be constructed there housing apartments ranging in size from 124 to 1,200 square metres. But although he has received a development license for construction in Dubai, he has not disclosed the site of the building, according to CNN reports.

fr: http://www.theengineer.co.uk

Network Engineer aka jurutera rangkaian ;-D

2006-06-29T12:26:00.000-07:00

Jurutera rangkaian atau network engineer merupakan salah satu cabang kerjaya dibidang teknologi maklumat. Bidang tugas Jurutera rangkaian ialah membuat lakaran dan menyelengara rangkaian LAN dan WAN di sesebuah organisasi. Ini termasuklah memilih atau mengesyorkan apakah jenis peralatan dan perisian yang patut digunakan bagi menepati kehendak sesuatu organisasi disamping memperbaiki peralatan dan sistem yang lama supaya menepati kehendak pelangan atau organisasi.

Tugas sebagai jurutera rangkaian termasuklah membuat analisis keperluan organisasi dan kemudian membuat lakaran, membangunkan dan membuat penyelengaraan kepada infrastruktur rangkaian tersebut bagi memenuhi keperluan perniagaan.
Siapakah Jurutera Rangkaian ?

Jurutera rangkaian ialah mereka yang mengendalikan kesemua urusan yang berkaitan dengan rangkaian. Diantaranya ialah membuat lakaran kepada rangkaian yang akan dibangunkan, kemudian membangunkan rangkaian yang telah dipersetujui oleh sesuatu organisasi dan akhirnya membuat penyelengaraan terhadap rangkaian yang telah dibangunkan. Penguasaan didalam memahami bagaimana kebolehan sistem operasi rangkaian, kelengkapan rangkaian dan protokol rangkaian adalah penting begitu juga kebolehan dalam memprogramkan skrip dan sejumlah fail.

Kekuatan dalaman juga penting, jurutera rangkaian mesti memahami keperluan rangkaian bukan hanya penguna malah organisasi luar dan berkemampuan mempromosi pengurusan syarikat sebagai mempunyai kelengkapan infrastruktur yang terbaik. Akhir sekali jurutera rangkaian mestilah berkebolehan merancang rangkaian, mengetahui pelbagai teknologi terkini dan mengetahui teknologi manakah yang berpotensi dan yang mana tidak. Selain itu jurutera rangkaian juga berkebolehan mendokumenkan semua keperluan rangkaian yang telah dibangunkan, berunding dengan penyelesaian teknikal yang disediakan dan membuat penyelesaian masalah serta mencari penyelesaian terbaik kepada masalah pekerja bawahan yang tidak dapat diselesaikan.

Bagaimana hendak menjadi Jurutera Rangkaian

Sesorang yang ingin menjadi jurutera rangkaian perlulah mengambil kursus yang berkaitan dengan teknologi maklumat didalam bahagian yang berkaitan rangkaian. Seseorang itu mestilah mendapatkan ijazah sarjana muda dan mempelajari perkara berkaitan dengan rangkaian seperti LAN, WAN, CCNA, CISCO dan sebagainya.

Sesorang yang menjadi jurutera rangkaian mempunyai gaji permulaan sebanyak RM1800 keatas. Jika mempunyai pengalaman yang lama dan luas gaji mereka boleh mencapai sehingga ratusan ribu.

Kelebihan menjadi Jurutera Rangkaian

Diantara kelebihan jurutera rangkaian ialah kebolehan mencipta sesuatu yang baru seperti telefon bimbit, talian baru seperti streamyx, dan sebagainya. Jurutera rangkaian juga dapat menjadi seorang yang mahir dalam rangkaian wireless dan teknologi keselamatan.
Peluang Pekerjaan

Peluang pekerjaan luas. Sesorang yang ingin menjadi jurutera rangkaian perlulah pandai berkomunikasi dan mencipta kerjaya. Di Malaysia, jurutera rangkaian tidak ramai kerana bidang ini masih baru. Jika di negara-negara maju, bidang ini sudah pun meluas. Peluang pekerjaan dibidang ini sangat banyak.

JURUTERA...PELUANG KERJA TERBUKA LUAS

2006-06-20T19:34:00.000-07:00

JURUTERA...PELUANG KERJA TERBUKA LUAS

KERJAYA jurutera penting dan besar kepada kemajuan negara. Tanpa jurutera, siapakah yang akan merancang dan mereka bentuk projek-projek seperti pengairan, jalan raya, jambatan, perlombongan, jana kuasa dan kilang?

Malah tugas mereka meliputi kajian dan pembangunan, pembinaan, penyenggaraan dan pengawalan, pengeluaran, perundingan, pengurusan serta latihan.
Apa itu kejuruteraan? Kejuruteraan secara umumnya ialah penggunaan pengetahuan sains dan matematik untuk menyelesaikan masalah-masalah praktikal.
Pengetahuan itu digabungkan dengan pengalaman yang dipraktikkan sebaik-baiknya menggunakan bahan dan sumber semula jadi.

Jurutera ialah individu yang terlatih dalam mereka, membuat dan menggunakan (menjaga) jentera atau terlatih dalam mana-mana cabang kejuruteraan seperti jurutera awam, elektrik dan kapal terbang.

Mereka perlu menitikberatkan inovasi mengenai komposisi sesuatu produk dan struktur, mengubah idea-idea baru kepada realiti, menyelesaikan masalah-masalah kemahuan dan kehendak manusia, memperbaiki kaedah-kaedah sedia ada dan merintis kaedah baru dengan menekankan pengetahuan saintifik, kebolehan dan kepandaian yang kreatif.
Pelbagai pengkhususan di bidang kejuruteraan ditawarkan oleh institusi pengajian tinggi tempatan atau luar negara.

Di antara pengkhususan itu ialah kejuruteraan awam, elektrik, elektronik dan sistem, kimia, proses, sumber asli, mekanikal, bahan, komputer, kaji terbang, pembuatan, telekomunikasi dan pertanian.

Perkembangan semasa di Malaysia mendorong permintaan yang tinggi terhadap profesion ini.
Setiap hari, pasti ada syarikat mengiklankan jawatan kosong sebagai jurutera di akhbar-akhbar tempatan.

Walaupun kerjaya ini mencabar, ia mampu memberi kepuasan kepada mereka. Tambahan pula gaji dan imbuhannya lumayan sekali gus mampu menarik minat pelajar untuk menceburi kerjaya ini.

Ciri-ciri peribadi yang diperlukan
Meminati profesion ini
Mempunyai pengetahuan di bidang sains, matematik dan bahasa
Mempunyai kemahiran komputer
Tekun dan bekerja keras
Mempunyai keinginan untuk berjaya
Seorang yang dinamik
Dapat bekerja secara berkumpulan

Syarat menceburi bidang ini

Calon harus memiliki ijazah mana-mana bidang kejuruteraan dari universiti tempatan atau luar negara.
Lulusan kejuruteraan perlu menjadi ahli Institute of Engineers Malaysia sebelum boleh mendaftar dengan Board of Engineers Malaysia.
Mereka memerlukan tiga tahun pengalaman pekerjaan yang diiktiraf di dalam bidang-bidang berkaitan sebelum layak ditemuduga bagi mendapat tauliah jurutera profesional.

Tempat melanjutkan pengajian
Universiti yang menawarkan kursus di peringkat ijazah sarjana muda ialah Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Malaya (UM), UKM, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM), Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) dan Institut Teknologi Tun Hussein Onn (ITTHO).
UTM, UPM, UiTM dan politeknik Kementerian Pendidikan menawarkan kursus di peringkat diploma.
Universiti-universiti luar negara seperti di Amerika Syarikat, United Kingdom, Australia, Kanada, New Zealand dan Singapura turut menawarkan kursus ini.

Syarat melanjutkan pengajian

Calon perlu lulus peperiksaan Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM)/ Vokasional (SPMV) dan mendapat kepujian mata pelajaran matematik moden, matematik tambahan, fizik, kimia, biologi, bahasa Melayu dan Inggeris.

Bagi peperiksaan Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) pula, calon perlu lulus matematik tulen, matematik gunaan, fizik, kimia, biologi dan pengajian am.
Tempoh pengajian adalah di antara empat hingga enam tahun.

Lulusan Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) boleh memohon masuk ke UKM, UM, UPM, USM, UNIMAS, UMS dan UiTM serta universiti-universiti di Australia, Kanada, United Kingdom, New Zealand dan Singapura.

Lulusan program matrikulasi atau asasi sains yang berjaya akan diterima masuk ke peringkat ijazah pertama di universiti-universiti tempatan.
Di UTM pula, kursus kejuruteraan yang memakan masa lima tahun pengajian boleh diikuti secara terus selepas SPM.

Universiti swasta tempatan seperti Universiti Telekom, Universiti Tenaga Nasional dan Universiti Teknologi Petronas juga menawarkan kursus di peringkat ijazah sarjana muda.
Lulusan diploma dari UTM, UPM, UiTM, politeknik Kementerian Pendidikan dan kolej swasta juga boleh memohon.

MMC Corp. Bhd.

2006-06-13T00:11:00.000-07:00

Tahukah kamu salah sebuah syarikat kepunyaan tokoh korporat terulung diMalaysia yang berbangsa melayu, iaitu Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al Bukhary? Ya memang betul… MMC Corp. adalah salah sebuah dari puluhan syarikat milik beliau. Adakah anda bercita-cita menjadi Jurutera yang tak boleh “dikencing”?

Mohon lah untuk bekerja disini.

MMC CORPORATION BERHAD
Website: www.mmc.com.my
Human ResourcesFax: +603 2093 9924 E-mail: career@mmc.com.my

Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, MMC is an investment holding company with interests in transport & logistics, energy & utilities and engineering & construction.

MMC holds equity stakes in Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas Berhad (the fastest growing container port in South East Asia), highway concessionaire Konsortium Lebuhraya Butterworth-Kulim (KLBK) Sdn Bhd, Malakoff Berhad (the country's largest independent power producer) and natural gas distribution company Gas Malaysia Sdn Bhd, among others.
MMC is also involved in major engineering and construction projects such as the Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (SMART) project, a flood mitigation project for the city of Kuala Lumpur.

Through Tronoh, MMC has interests in IJM, a leading construction company with a strong track record locally and overseas, and Zelan, a specialist design & civil contractor for power plants
In all this, we have strived to maintain MMC's core values of innovation, transparency and integrity; as well as a commitment to our employees and the community we work in.
We trust this section provides you with sufficient information from a corporate perspective. Should you require additional corporate information, please check our Corporate FAQs section or contact us at corporatecomm@mmc.com.my.

Core Business
· Port Operations
· Natural Gas
· Power Engineering
· Power Plant
· Smelting
· Defense contracting
· Contractor

Gamuda Berhad

2006-06-12T20:57:00.000-07:00

Gamuda Berhad adalah salah sebuah syarikat kejuruteraan yang bertaraf antarabangsa. Syarikat ini sememangnya di huni oleh ramai jurutera yang bertaraf antarabangsa. Dengan projek-projek yang bernilai ratusan juta ringgit, maka memang tidak diragui lagi keupayaan syarikat ini dalam bidang kejuruteraan. Terutama dalam kejuruteraan awan. Walaupun begitu, terdapat juga disiplin kejuruteraan yang lain. Sekiranya anda berminat dengan kerjaya yang mencabar dan pasti memberatkan poket anda, silalah mohon untuk bekerja disini. Mungkin anda juga berpeluang untuk mendapat seorang kekasih dari negara lain ;-)

website: www.gamuda.com.my

Company review.

Gamuda is a leader in turnkey and B.O.T. civil engineering infrastructure and township development, with projects and investments in South East and Far East Asia, Indochina, South Asia and the Middle East.

We have delivered more than USD3billion of civil infrastructure, operate and maintain 230km of highways that serve more than two million road users daily, provide water supply to more than 2 million consumers as well as built more than 13,000 homes in our lifestyle townships.
Our scope of expertise covers highways and expressways, bridges, tunnels, dams and hydropower, hydraulic engineering and water treatment, railways and mass-rapid transit systems, marine works and ports, and building, which are delivered through general contracting, design & build, turn-key, as well as Build–Operate–Transfer methods.
We are also a major township and property developer with four township projects that will eventually provide more than 30,000 homes when completed.
Our emphasis on differentiation and value-creation, as well as on operational excellence has enabled the group to consistently deliver distinctive infrastructure and homes bearing Gamuda’s hallmark traits of innovation, superior quality, outstanding value and assured completion.

Engineering and Construction

Construction is the mainstay of Gamuda’s earnings and the heart of the Group’s activities. For the past 28 years our engineering and construction teams have realized the visions and aspirations of our clients and customers through our relentless focus on operational excellence and reliability in delivery.

Over the years, we have achieved a number of significant milestones as we help build Malaysia to its status of world-class infrastructure. We have undertaken more than 40 major sized civil engineering projects and these have demonstrated our expertise in the construction of marine ports and industrial buildings, highways, bridges, tunnels, water infrastructure and storm water management projects.

Leveraging on our breakthrough successes in Malaysia as well as banking on our financial strength and good track records, we first ventured into India in 2001 and secured two deferred payment projects: the Panagarh-Palsit Highway and the Durgapur Expressway, Dankuni-Palsit Section, in the State of West Bengal.

In 2002, we have also become the first Malaysian company to successfully penetrate the Taiwanese construction market when we, together with New Asia Construction & Development Corporation, Taiwan signed an agreement with Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation, Taiwan to undertake the Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) System Project, Orange line Package CO4.
We had in 2004 signed a Project Development Agreement (PDA) with the Government of Laos to develop the 450 MW Nam Theun 1 (NT1) hydropower project, located in Bolikhamsay province, central Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR).
We are also constructing the Dukhan Highway from Shahaniya to Zekreet in Qatar.
We are focused on further enlarging our presence in international infrastructure construction in West Asia, India, Indo-China and the far east.

Construction Services

To enable cost effective and reliable operational support to Gamuda’s projects, several business units provide the following services;
Construction equipment & plant supply and maintenance
Asphaltic pre-mix and ready-mixed-concrete production and supply
Quarrying operations and aggregates production
Pre-cast concrete products production
Road pavement laying and maintenance

Northern Malaysia University College of Engineering (KUKUM)

2006-06-04T23:41:00.000-07:00

KUKUM is established as a public institution of higher learning on 25th July, 2001. The Rector and Deputy Rector were officially appointed in February, 2002. It now has a workforce of approximately 300 people comprising of academic and non-academic staff. KUKUM aims to produce engineers who have good technical skills to support the Malaysian National Industrial Plan.

KUKUM adopts a practical-oriented approach whereby 60% of the time students are guided in laboratory settings, including industrial exposure; whilst the remaining 40% is spent on formal lectures. This facilitates in the development of competency in design and assembly of parts, as well as the ability to test, maintain, and apply whatever theoretical concepts imparted during lecture sessions. In addition, KUKUM students are also groomed to be competent and confident enough to explore entrepreneurial possibilities upon graduation. Students also take part in various co-curricular activities that build their strength and character outside of the academic domain. KUKUM graduates are expected to not only exhibit excellence in knowledge and skills directly related to their academic fields of study, but are also proficient in communication and ICT skills, as well as possessing unsurpassed traits of professionalism and patriotism.

School that being offered in KUKUM
1) School of Computer & Communication Engineering
2) School of Microelectronics Engineering
3) School of Mechatronic Engineering
4) School of Electrical System Engineering

For more information, don't hesitate to visit www.kukum.edu.my. the heaven for all engineers

Engineer Identification Test

2006-06-04T23:10:00.000-07:00

You walk into a room and notice that a picture is hanging crooked. You...

Straighten it.
Ignore it.
Buy a CAD system and spend the next six months designing a solar- powered, self-adjusting picture frame while often stating aloud your belief that the inventor of the nail was a total moron.

The correct answer is "3" but partial credit can be given to anybody who writes "It depends" in the margin of the test or simply blames the whole stupid thing on "Marketing."

SOCIAL SKILLS

Engineers have different objectives when it comes to social interaction.
"Normal" people expect to accomplish several unrealistic things from social interaction:

Stimulating and thought-provoking conversation
Important social contacts
A feeling of connectedness with other humans

In contrast to "normal" people, engineers have rational objectives for social interactions:

Get it over with as soon as possible.
Avoid getting invited to something unpleasant.
Demonstrate mental superiority and mastery of all subjects.

FASCINATION WITH GADGETS

To the engineer, all matter in the universe can be placed into one of two categories:
(1) things that need to be fixed, and (2) things that will need to be fixed after you've had a few minutes to play with them. Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems. Normal people don't understand this concept; they believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet.

No engineer looks at a television remote control without wondering what it would take to turn it into a stun gun. No engineer can take a shower without wondering if some sort of Teflon coating would make showering unnecessary. To the engineer, the world is a toy box full of sub-optimized and feature-poor toys.

FASHION AND APPEARANCE

Clothes are the lowest priority for an engineer, assuming the basic thresholds for temperature and decency have been satisfied. If no appendages are freezing or sticking together, and if no genitalia or mammary glands are swinging around in plain view, then the objective of clothing has been met. Anything else is a waste.

LOVE OF "STAR TREK"

Engineers love all of the "Star Trek" television shows and movies. It's small wonder, since the engineers on the starship Enterprise are portrayed as heroes, occasionally even having sex with aliens. This is much more glamorous than the real life of an engineer, which consists of hiding from the universe and having sex without the participation of other life forms.

DATING AND SOCIAL LIFE

Dating is never easy for engineers. A normal person will employ various indirect and duplicitous methods to create a false impression of attractiveness. Engineers are incapable of placing appearance above function.
Fortunately, engineers have an ace in the hole. They are widely recognized as superior marriage material: intelligent, dependable, employed, honest, and handy around the house. While it's true that most normal people would prefer not to date an engineer, many normal people harbor an intense desire to mate with them, thus producing engineerlike children who will have high-paying jobs long before losing their virginity.
Male engineers reach their peak of sexual attractiveness later than normal men, becoming irresistible erotic dynamos in their mid thirties to late forties. Just look at these examples of sexually irresistible men in technical professions:

Bill Gates. (NB - this IS fantasy isn't it?)
MacGyver.
Etcetera.

Female engineers become irresistible at the age of consent and remain that way until about thirty minutes after their clinical death. Longer if it's a warm day.

HONESTY

Engineers are always honest in matters of technology and human relationships. That's why it's a good idea to keep engineers away from customers, romantic interests, and other people who can't handle the truth.
Engineers sometimes bend the truth to avoid work. They say things that sound like lies but technically are not because nobody could be expected to believe them. The complete list of engineer lies is listed below.

"I won't change anything without asking you first."
"I'll return your hard-to-find cable tomorrow."
"I have to have new equipment to do my job."
"I'm not jealous of your new computer."

FRUGALITY

Engineers are notoriously frugal. This is not because of cheapness or mean spirit; it is simply because every spending situation is simply a problem in optimization, that is, "How can I escape this situation while retaining the greatest amount of cash?"

POWERS OF CONCENTRATION

If there is one trait that best defines an engineer it is the ability to concentrate on one subject to the complete exclusion of everything else in the environment. This sometimes causes engineers to be pronounced dead prematurely. Some funeral homes in high-tech areas have started checking resumes before processing the bodies. Anybody with a degree in electrical engineering or experience in computer programming is propped up in the lounge for a few days just to see if he or she snaps out of it

RISK

Engineers hate risk. They try to eliminate it whenever they can. This is understandable, given that when an engineer makes one little mistake, the media will treat it like it's a big deal or something.

EXAMPLES OF BAD PRESS FOR ENGINEERS

Hindenberg.
Space Shuttle Challenger.
Hubble space telescope.
Apollo 13.
Westgate Bridge
P76
Ford Capri

The risk/reward calculation for engineers looks something like this:
RISK: Public humiliation and the death of thousands of innocent people.
REWARD: A certificate of appreciation in a handsome plastic frame.
Being practical people, engineers evaluate this balance of risks and rewards and decide that risk is not a good thing. The best way to avoid risk is by advising that any activity is technically impossible for reasons that are far too complicated to explain. If that approach is not sufficient to halt a project, then the engineer will fall back to a second line of defense: "It's technically possible but it will cost too much."

EGO

Ego-wise, two things are important to engineers:

How smart they are.
How many cool devices they own.

The fastest way to get an engineer to solve a problem is to declare that the problem is unsolvable. No engineer can walk away from an unsolvable problem until it's solved. No illness or distraction is sufficient to get the engineer off the case. These types of challenges quickly become personal -- a battle between the engineer and the laws of nature.

Engineers will go without food and hygiene for days to solve a problem. (Other times just because they forgot.) And when they succeed in solving the problem they will experience an ego rush that is better than sex--and that includes the kind of sex where other people are involved.
Nothing is more threatening to the engineer than the suggestion that somebody has more technical skill. Normal people sometimes use that knowledge as a lever to extract more work from the engineer. When an engineer says that something can't be done (a code phrase that means it's not fun to do), some clever normal people have learned to glance at the engineer with a look of compassion and pity and say something along these lines: "I'll ask Bob to figure it out. He knows how to solve difficult technical problems."

At that point it is a good idea for the normal person to not stand between the engineer and the problem. The engineer will set upon the problem like a starved Chihuahua on a pork chop.

Are You is a Real Engineers?

2006-06-04T22:37:00.000-07:00

Real Engineers consider themselves well dressed if their socks match.

Real Engineers buy their spouses a set of matched screwdrivers for their birthday.

Real engineers have a non-technical vocabulary of 800 words.

Real Engineers repair their own cameras, telephones, televisions, watches, and automatic transmissions.

Real Engineers say "It's 70 degrees Fahrenheit, 25 degrees Celsius, and 298 Kelvin" and all you say is "Isn't it a nice day?"

Real Engineers wear badges so they don't forget who they are. Sometimes a note is attached saying "Don't offer me a ride today. I drove my own car".

Real Engineers' politics run towards acquiring a parking space with their name on it and an office with a window.

Real Engineers know the "ABC's of Infrared" from A to B.

Real Engineers know how to take the cover off of their computer, and are not afraid to do it.

Real Engineers' briefcases contain a Phillips screwdriver, a copy of "Quantum Physics", and a half of a peanut butter sandwich.

Real Engineers don't find the above at all funny.

Engineer jokes

2006-06-04T21:54:00.000-07:00

How many first year engineering students does it take to change a light bulb?
None. That's a second year subject.

How many second year engineering students does it take to change a light bulb?
One, but the rest of the class copies the report.

How many third year engineering students does it take to change a light bulb?
"Will this question be in the final examination?"

How many civil engineers does it take to change a light bulb?
Two. One to do it and one to steady the chandelier.

How many electrical engineers does it take to change a light bulb?
None. They simply redefine darkness as the industry standard.

How many computer engineers does it take to change a light bulb?
"Why bother? The socket will be obsolete in six months anyway."

How many mechanical engineers does it take to change a light bulb?
Five. One to decide which way the bulb ought to turn, one to calculate the force required, one to design a tool with which to turn the bulb, one to design a comfortable - but functional - hand grip, and one to use all this equipment.

How many nuclear engineers does it take to change a light bulb?
Seven. One to install the new bulb and six to figure out what to do with the old one for the next 10,000 years.

What is an engineer?

2006-06-04T20:40:00.000-07:00

What Is An Engineer?

Ask what an engineer is and you will usually be given a description of a person in dirty overalls who fixes cars. In reality, this is a common misconception that is totally untrue. Today, the word "engineer" is far too often twisted to explain train delays and dirty construction work. In fact, the job of a toilet cleaner often comes with the title of sanitary engineer!

So What Is The Truth?

The word engineer is derived from the latin word ingeniare. Its actual meaning is to invent or devise. Engineers are creative designers who invent, develop and manage the manufacture of their creations. These creations can be as far ranging as from computers to robots to space vehicles.Engineers are characterised by their search for how and why. Their task is continuous a quest for knowledge and their work revolves around it.An engineer's work may or may not involve visits to a workshop. When work at a workshop is involved, this is usually to oversee and manage the manufacture of a design created by the engineer. In a growing number of cases, jobs undertaken by an engineer can be done totally from a computer screen.

The Definition Of An Engineer

Engineers are highly skilled people who invent, design and innovate. They are the people who are advancing humanity into an era of space flight and Internet appliances. Who knows what they will do next?