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Highly regarded profession
NSUNT 30/10/2005
EVERY time a building is found to be faulty or, worse, collapses, concern is
raised that our buildings are substandard or that our engineers are not as
good as they should be.
The situation is worsened by the fact that developers and contractors rely
on large numbers of untrained foreign workers and, what is more, some have
been known to cut corners.
When asked to comment, Institution of Engineers Malaysia president Professor
Dr Ow Chee Sheng said this perception is not justified.
"All the buildings in Malaysia are designed and constructed complying with
Uniform Buildings Bylaws and codes of practice.
"Even in developed countries in Europe, United States, and Britain, there
are also some cases of building collapse.
"Therefore the perception that buildings in Malaysia are substandard is NOT
justifiable."
Ow stresses that engineers in Malaysia, especially professional engineers
who are entitled to carry the prefix Ir in front of their names, are
registered with the Board of Engineers Malaysia.
Professional engineers, he stresses, have to fulfil the necessary
qualifications (a recognised degree in engineering), training (relevant
experience and training on design and site works) then have to sit and pass
the Professional Interview , which is an exam conducted by the Institution
of Engineers Malaysia.
"Professional engineers of Malaysia are benchmarked and accepted by
international bodies such as APEC Engineers and ASEAN Engineers, for
example. Therefore, they are highly regarded."
He notes that there are many factors and causes of failure or substandard
works.
"It is prudent to carry out detailed investigation to determine the causes
before pointing fingers.
"The Institution of Engineers Malaysia, a learned society of 15,000 members,
is a willing partner to assist the government in investigation of failures
and substandard works.
"Public safety is paramount and as such any substandard work would be halted
if a complaint is lodged with the appropriate authority," adds Ow. |
