PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
INGENIEUR
WATER POWER
T
he year 2015 ended with some important
milestones for BEM. The impact of the
amendments to the Registration of
Engineers Malaysia Act will be truly felt in 2016
when the full implementation of the registration
of PEPC (Professional Engineer with Practising
Certificate) takes place. Existing PEs who have not
accepted the offer to be registered as PEPC before
July 2016 will have to sit for the Professional
Competency Examination if they decide on a later
date to become a PEPC.
The year 2015 also marked the end of the
UN Water for Life Decade 2005 – 2015; the
new focus will be on the 2030 UN Agenda for
Sustainable Development. Taking cognisance of
the importance of water, this publication starts the
year with the theme ‘Water Power’. The Power of
water can be viewed from the perspective of water
as a source of energy, threat of flood, an essential
for food production, navigation and in other forms
necessary for human survival.
With Malaysia taking its seat on the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council
for her sixth term, the article on IMO provides
an insight into its structure and function and
its increasing role with the Maritime Silk Road
initiative spurring more shipping traffic in the seas
around Malaysia. The article on Hashimoto Action
Plan III highlights the UN’s direction towards
global post-2015 goals for water, including targets
on universal access to sustainable drinking water
and improving the integrated water resources
management and water-use efficiency.
On the cultural aspects, two ancient bridges
in Central Vietnam in Hoi An and Thanh Toan
46
ingenieur 2016 Jan FA.indd 4
built over canals to connect folks from both sides
illustrate the social function of the bridges beyond
their engineering function. They are symbols of
friendship and goodwill and the Thanh Toan bridge
is a gathering place for locals with the waterway as
a backdrop providing a place for relaxation while
enjoying the scenic environment.
Malaysia is also proud that six of her wetlands
are on the Ramsar Convention list of wetlands.
The article on Ramsar wetlands explains the
important ecological functions of wetlands and
highlights their economic, cultural, scientific, and
recreational value. Wetlands can be a source
of tourist income in addition to their ecological
function.
In 2016, BEM will be organizing the International
Engineering Alliance meeting from May 30 to June
4. It will be a great global event for the engineering
professions as the chairs of the seven Governing
Groups, such as the Washington Accord and APEC
Engineer, will gather in Kuala Lumpur to chart
the future course of the engineering professions.
The event will attract many foreign delegates and
journalists. We expect that there will be significant
press coverage on the mutual recognition of global
engineering qualifications.
2016 will be a challenging year for the
economy in general. But as it is often said, where
there are problems, there will be opportunities. It
is up to the individual to seek the right solution to
the problem to make his day.
Datuk Ir. Adanan bin Mohamed Hussain
President BEM
VOL
- MARCH 2016
VOL65
55JANUARY
JUNE 2013
2/2/16 12:18 PM