At the Dewan Rakyat yesterday: Bringing designers under Architects Act
NST 13/12/2006

WHAT do interior designers have to do with architects?

More than one would think, said Works Minister Datuk Seri S.Samy Vellu, who had to defend his ministry’s decision to bring interior designers under the Architects Act.

He said the interior design sector was undergoing change due to increasing demand from property owners who were becoming more discerning.

Samy Vellu said interior designing was a profession that was regulated as compared with interior decoration, where everybody was his own master.

"There is a definite difference between interior designers and interior decorators."

He said this when replying to points raised by MPs during the debate on the Architects (Amendment) Bill 2006.

He said the move to bring interior designers under the Act was to streamline and ensure better monitoring of the industry.

He said the idea to bring their affairs under the Architects Act was also mooted by the Interior Design Institute of Malaysia and the Malaysian Institute of Design.

Several MPs, especially Dr Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam), had argued against the inclusion and wanted to know why there was a need to regulate the interior design sector.

Samy Vellu said the amendment did not mean that interior designers would take orders from architects. He said the job scope in interior design involved many aspects, such as safety and health.

As such, there was a need to ensure standards and professionalism, he added.