professional engineers and engineering firms to
supply professional engineering services. There
was no adverse feedback to the view that the
Government’s economic policy on liberalisation
is not the correct path. Based on economics
facts rather than emotionally-based arguments,
BEM has decided there is more to be gained
from liberalisation and the potential for the
country’s engineers to contribute to the GDP of
the country.
11.0 Safeguard Measures
Liberalisation does not mean a complete
deregulation back to the “laissez-faire” or free
economy as expounded by Adam Smith in his
magnum opus “The Wealth of Nations” published
in 1776. The opposite of this is Karl Marx’s
“Das Kapital” published between 1867- 1894
which was critical of the free economy and the
capitalist state, and argued for a controlled
economy whereby the state knows everything.
Liberalisation is somewhere in between where the
state intervenes to simulate the economy but yet
allows market forces and competition to dictate
the country’s economic progress.
There are risks in liberalisation and safeguard
measures are necessary namely:
●●
To safeguard local and national policies so
that these are not negatively affected;
●●
To protect the public against hazards of
sub-standard services of foreign imports;
●●
To ensure that liberalisation promotes
economic growth as originally intended;
●●
To minimize the af fect on local
professionals so that they can withstand
the effects from the entry of foreign
professionals; and
●●
To prepare capacity building programmes
for local professionals.
It should be noted that safeguard measures in
developed nations are even more comprehensive
when compared with developing countries.
A case in point is Australia, whereby the
Engineers Australia paper to their Department of
Foreign Affairs & Trade, titled “Australia-Malaysia
Free Trade Agreement” dated October 2004.
Extracts of this paper stated;
“There are no specific nationality,
citizenship or residency requirements for
registration by the National Engineering
Registration Board or membership of
Engineers Australia to practice as a
professional engineer in Australia. However
applicants must demonstrate awareness
of national and local standards, rules and
practices; and be assessed as meeting
the National Competency Standards for
Professional Engineers.”
“Other than in Queensland, the
engineering profession operates under a selfregulatory system and Engineers Au 7G&Ɩ