BEM ROAD SHOW 2014/2015
BEM NEWS
Welcome Speech by
Dato’ Ir. Hj. Annies bin Md. Ariff,
BEM President
This is an abstract of the speech at the BEM Roadshow 2014/2015 held in Kuala Lumpur on
September 29, 2014.
T
hese are indeed challenging times; the Prime
Minister in launching the New Economic
Model expects the private sector to drive this
model. One of the major strategic reform initiatives
that have a direct impact is the liberalisation of
the services industry.
The Board of Engineers, as a policy maker,
cannot take an “isolationist” stand in the
engineering industry and the Registration of
Engineers Act should not stifle the growth of this
knowledge-based industry; but must support
existing as well as future engineering industries
in aeronautical, aerospace, automotive, nuclear,
renewable energy and green technologies which
fall under the purview of the Board.
It would bode well for the country to develop
a healthy, vibrant and competitive engineering
industry that contributes to the economy and
benefits consumers and the public at large.
An uncompetitive engineering industry has the
tendency to be “protectionist”, which in the longer
term, will result in Government subsidies and
handouts.
The Board has been consulted and has had
many dialogues with other Government agencies
and is confident that by allowing ownership of an
engineering firm to be open, it will secure a better
future for the engineering industry.
The ‘old model’ and ‘business as usual’ to
regulate the engineering business have become
outdated and have a tendency to stifle the
industry’s growth. It is time for engineers to
change and transform the Malaysian economy.
At the same time, the Board does not forget
why it exists. It exists because the work of
engineers has a direct impact on the safety of the
public. The Registration of Engineers Act is not
meant to protect the engineering profession but
was meant to protect the interest of the public.
This year has been horrendous and dreadful
for the construction industry with injuries and
loss of lives at Penang Second Bridge, MRT
and LRT construction sites, for examples.
As a consequence, the Board’s Investigation
Committees and the Disciplinary Committee have
been very active;
I wish to remind practicing engineers to be
more cautious before stamping your PE stamp.
You have been accorded a privilege by virtue of
your professional standing and qualification but it
also carries with it responsibility and accountability
under the law of tort, Registration of Engineers
Act, The Street, Drainage & Building Act and CIDB
Act; just to name a few.
The Uniform Building By-Laws mandate that
whoever designs the building is responsible to
supervise its construction and thereafter to certify
its completion and compliance with the by-laws.
There were several cases where PEs signed
the standard drawings for patented engineering
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