PRESIDENT MESSAGE – OCTOBER 2019
I am glad that we had the opportunity to host the delegation from China International Contractors Association (CHINCA) and Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM) on their Investment Promotion to Malaysia last month and also attended the 48th ASEAN Constructors’ Federation (ACF) Council Meeting in Bali, Indonesia. Please read on for the full highlights and other events.
Special Task Force to Facilitate Business (PEMUDAH) Technical Working Group on Employing Workers (TWGEW) Meeting
Held at Ministry of Human Resources’ (MOHR) office in Putrajaya on 3 September was attended by Manager, Mohd Farhan and I. The meeting was chaired by MOHR’s Deputy Secretary General (Policy & International), Datuk Kua Abun. TWGEW was one of the technical working groups of PEMUDAH. The PEMUDAH meetings were chaired by Chief Secretary to the Government, Datuk Seri Ismail Bakar, and co-chaired by Dato’ Dr Ir Andy Seo Kian Haw.
PEMUDAH have tasked TWGEW to look into the foreign worker management system in Malaysia, on Dato’ Seri Co-Chair’s recommendation, the scope was widened to cover the employing of workers in general. As the foreign workers issue has been on-going for years. TWGEW is to propose a process to move the issue forward to be resolved. A proposal to resolve the issue is targeted to be presented to YAB Prime Minister by December 2019 or in the first quarter of 2020.
7th Seminar on Occupational Safety & Health (OSH) and Workshop on Fall Prevention in Sabah
The aim of MBAM 2-day OSH Seminar and Workshop on Fall Prevention held on 5 and 6 September was to provide platform for all construction OSH practitioners, project managers, business owners and consultants to share their expertise, knowledge, latest development and update related to OSH best practices in Malaysian construction industry. This 7th year seminar was jointly organised by Sabah Builders Association, with the support from Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) and endorsed by Department of Occupational Safety & Health (DOSH) Malaysia and National Council of Occupational Safety & Health (NCOSH) Malaysia. Chairman of MBAM Safety & Health Committee, Michael Yap gave the Opening Remarks and I delivered the Opening Speech. The Guest of Honour, Tuan Haji Zulkifli Bin Yahaya, Director of DOSH Sabah officiated the seminar after his Opening Address. A press conference was held thereafter.
Overall, the seminar attracted a total of 96 participants from East Malaysia. Five papers were presented on the first day. The papers were as follows:
- CIDB Role in Promoting Safety Construction Industry
- Sharing Best Practices – Safety in Working above Life Traffic
- Occupational Safety & Health in Construction Industry (Management) OSHCIM Guidelines 2017: Stakeholders’ Roles & Responsibility
- Sharing of OSH Best Practices – Precast Safety
- Overview Social Security Protection in Construction Industry
The second day was a full day Workshop on Fall Prevention facilitated by MBAM Safety and Health Deputy Chairman 2, Major (Rtd) Leong Yee Keong. I hope the participants have gained a wider understanding of the existing control measures, safety procedures, practices and developments in preventing accident and fatalities construction industry.
Here I am presenting a memento to Director of DOSH Sabah, Tuan Haji Zulkifli Bin Yahaya
The Launching of Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) Consultative Dialogue 2019
The launch was attended by MBAM Deputy Secretary-General 1, Ong Ka Thiam; Council Member, Tan Zi Ni and General Manager, Lenny Lim on 12 September at MITI Tower, Kuala Lumpur. Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Darell Leiking welcomed attendees to the launching and said this year the event has 300 officials from 108 national and international chambers of commerce as well as business and industry associations in Malaysia. Overall, 54 memorandums, 379 issues were received and that is why MITI will have a one-month consultation period with the industry covering areas such as investment, market access and technology, labour, taxation, facilitation, logistics and infrastructure. The Minister said it was time for a rethinking of our trade, investment and industrial development policies. There was a need to rebuild Malaysia by promoting greater synergy between public and private sectors.
Deputy Minister of MITI, Dr Ong Kian Ming then gave a brief overview on investment, trade and industry initiatives. Overall, it was an interesting session which allowed for better networking between the public, private and NGO representatives to engage each other to further promote trade.
From Left: Ong and Tan with Deputy Minister of MITI, Dr Ong Kian Ming
48th ASEAN Constructors’ Federation (ACF) Meeting, Bali Indonesia (12 – 14 September 2019)
The 48th ACF Council Meeting was successfully chaired and hosted by the Indonesian Contractors Association (ICA) on 12 September 2019 at Inaya Putri Bali Hotel, Bali, Indonesia. The MBAM delegation was led by me with the assistance from Deputy President, Tan Sri Sufri Hj. Mhd Zin and Immediate Past President, Datuk Matthew Tee. Also present were MBAM Council Members, Datuk Astaman Abdul Aziz and Ir Chee Weng Loon; Past Deputy President, Dato’ Aziz Bahaman; Executive Director, Loh Mei Ling; Manager, Mohd Farhan and Senior, Assistant Manager Mohd Hanif Ismail.
ACF Chairman, Joseph Pangalila welcomed all ACF Council members and took the opportunity to thank all delegates for attending the meeting in Bali. The Council discussed matters for approval and confirmation of minutes of the 47th ACF Council Meeting ACF Secretary-General report and Treasurer’s Report were presented. All members except for Myanmar Construction Entrepreneurs Association (MCEA) and Vietnam Association of Construction Contractors (VACC) presented their latest country report. I presented the Malaysia’s country report. Copies of the country reports are available at MBAM Secretariat for reference. I also presented a souvenir to ICA and simultaneously thanked ICA for hosting and chairing the 48th ACF meeting. All participants at the meeting attended the Welcome Dinner hosted by ICA.
The next day, MBAM delegation participated in the ICA International Conference 2019 with the theme “Lean Construction and Digital Transformation”. The conference was officiated by the Minister of Public Works and Public Housing of the Republic of Indonesia, Pak Basuki Hadimuljono. In the evening, ICA hosted a Cultural Night Dinner. The following day, MBAM Deputy President, Tan Sri Sufri represented MBAM in the ICA Golf Tournament at New Kuta Golf Bali, Pecatu.
MBAM delegation to 48th ACF Council Meeting
Here I am presenting Malaysia’s country report
Here I am presenting a souvenir to ICA Chairman, Pak Budi Harto with Deputy President Tan Sri Sufri
Group photo of ACF Members
Malaysia-China Investment Promotion
The event was held on 20th September at Intercontinental Hotel, Kuala Lumpur with Minister of Works Malaysia, YB Tuan Baru Bian as the Guest of Honour. The event was attended by some 150 attendees comprising of Malaysians and visiting delegations from People’s Republic of China and Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR). I delivered the welcome remark followed by Chairman of China International Contractors Association (CHINCA), Fang Quichen and First Secretary, Economic and Commercial Counsellor’s Office of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Malaysia, Li YaBin.
Group photo with Works Minister, Baru Bian and distinguished guests
Works Minister, YB Tuan Baru Bian then delivered the opening address and officiated the event. A souvenir was presented to Baru by the Director General of the Department of Taiwan, Hong Kong & Macao Affairs, Ministry of Commerce China, Sun Tong as a token of appreciation for officiating the event.
Works Minister, YB Tuan Baru Bian delivering the opening address
Souvenir Presentation to Works Minister, YB Tuan Baru Bian
There were 4 speakers from Malaysia who presented during the Project Investment Opportunity Briefing. The topics were on construction industry prospect, the various projects that are expected to go on-stream and investment opportunities including those of Penang Transport Master Plan and Greater Kuala Lumpur. Two speakers from the visiting delegation were on hand to deliver their presentations namely Chairman of CRSC International Co. Ltd, Wang MingZhi and Vice President of Macao Construction Association, De Assis Emilio Vicente.
A Business Matching Session was held after the conclusion of the briefing. The session was for everyone to get to know each other better. A welcome remark for the Business Matching Session was delivered by Executive Director of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, U U Sang. During the session, the organiser also took the opportunity to present souvenirs to the speakers. The event concluded after lunch where the welcome remark was delivered by Director General of the Department of Taiwan, Hong Kong & Macao Affairs, Ministry of Commerce China, Sun Tong and Chief of Cabinet, Cabinet of the Secretary for Economy and Finance, Macao SAR Government, Teng Nga Kan during lunch. The event concluded after lunch.
During Business Matching Session
It was successfully held despite the short notice. The day before the event, Construction Industry Development Malaysia (CIDB) and MBAM jointly hosted the visiting delegation for a welcome dinner at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The pre-dinner networking session was sponsored by YTL Group.
TVET Empowerment Industry Dialogue
Dialogue was hosted by Ministry of Education (MOE) at Dewan Za’aba, MOE Putrajaya on 26 September. Ministers who were present at the dialogue were Minister of Education, Dr Maszlee Malik and Minister of Human Resources, M. Kulasegaran. The Secretary General of Minister of Education, Dato’ Dr Mohd Ghazali Abas was also present.
The dialogue session was chaired by Chairman of Technical Working Group, TVET Empowerment Committee, Tan Sri Dato’ Soh Thian Lai. The objective of this session was to strengthen the collaboration between government and industry player towards empowering the workforce with industry-based skills to drive the nation’s economy. Dr Maszlee also launched the National TVET Logo and Slogan competition, TVET Influencer Nomination and TVET Valued Industry Partners (VIP) Awards.
MBAM Vice President cum Chairman of HR Committee, Dennis Tan; Council Member cum Deputy Chairman of HR Committee, Datuk Astaman Abdul Aziz and Manager, Mohd Farhan attended the dialogue.
Dennis and Datuk Astaman at the Dialogue
70th China National Day Celebration
I was also privileged to be invited to attend the 70th China National Day Celebration on 24 September with Vice President, Dennis Tan and Council Member, Datuk Astaman Abd Aziz at Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
I hope MBAM members will continue to support all the activities organised by MBAM in the near future.
FOO CHEK LEE JMW
MBAM President