Ingenieur Vol.79 July-Sept 2019 ingenieur 2019 july-sept | Page 6

INGENIEUR Engineering and Construction Practice T he announcement by the Minister of Works on March 2019 that the Works Ministry will implement 20 new infrastructure projects worth RM5.26 billion this year is a big boost to the construction industry as well as a stimulus to the economy amidst global uncertainty. The construction industry generates a long chain of service industries that supports sub-contractors, suppliers, tradesmen, financial institutions, professionals and so on. Malaysia has a mature ecosystem of construction industry services and players regulated by their respective authorities for safety, quality and compliance with standards and rules. The fact that many Malaysian engineering consultancy and construction firms have successfully won bids for overseas engineering works speaks volumes of our standing internationally. This publication with the theme “Engineering and Construction Practice” is a timely reminder to practicing engineers and other players in the construction industry to maintain standards and quality, and also advancing further with new technologies to stay competitive in the globalised environment. 4 6 VOL VOL 79 55 JULY-SEPTEMBER JUNE 2013 2019 The emerging technolog y in housing construction utilising Prefabricated Volumetric Module (PVM) is well illustrated in the article by Construction Research Institute of Malaysia as well as in the case study of Project Clement Canopy in Singapore. A new rating tool to assess the extent of the sustainability measures adopted by infrastructure projects in Malaysia, named the Sustainable INFRASTAR, is a wise move for environmental sustainability. This article by CREAM, CIDB Malaysia details clearly the type of projects and criteria to be assessed. As this is my first appearance since assuming the position as President of the Board of Engineers Malaysia in May 2019, I wish to thank my predecessor, Dato’ Sri Ir. Dr Roslan bin Md Taha for his personal hand in the accumulated achievements under his stewardship. To all readers and article contributors, thank you for your support and contribution in the production of this publication. Dato’ Ir. Dr Meor Abdul Aziz Bin Osman President, BEM