#137 MBAMMBAM Built to Move a Nation 9772289848000 04 The Gemas–Johor Bahru Electrified Double Track Rail InfrastructureThe Panel of Judges of the Awards have the right to disqualify entries which contained false information / declaration. All documents will be treated with the strictest confidence and can only be viewed by the Panel of Judges. The decision of Panel of Judges’ is final. Any appeal will NOT be entertained. Winners of the Awards shall be able to share their knowledge in any of MBAM related events upon invited. MASTER BUILDERS ASSOCIATION MALAYSIA (MBAM) Persatuan Kontraktor Binaan Malaysia, No. 2-1, Jalan 2/109E, Desa Business Park, 58100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan. Tel: 03-7984 8636 | Fax: 03- 7982 6811 E-mail: mbam14@mbam.org.my | mbam23@mbam.org.my Contact Person: Ms Fieya, Admin Officer| Ms Shirley Foo, Assistant Manager MBAM SAFETY & HEALTH AWARDS 2026 GOLDEN HELMET AWARD This award is presented to a person who has made an outstanding and significant leadership contribution to safety & health in the construction industry. for Leadership in Safety & Health TERMS & CONDITIONS The Panel of Judges of the Awards have the right to disqualify entries which contained false information / declaration. All documents will be treated with the strictest confidence and can only be viewed by the Panel of Judges. The decision of Panel of Judges’ is final. Any appeal will NOT be entertained. Winners of the Awards shall be able to share their knowledge in any of MBAM related events upon invited. ENQUIRIES MASTER BUILDERS ASSOCIATION MALAYSIA (MBAM) Lot 92404, Persiaran Harmoni, Putra Heights, 47650, Subang Jaya, Selangor Tel: 03-8011 8756 E-mail: mbam14@mbam.org.my | mbam06@mbam.org.my Contact Person: Mr Ali Rahim, Executiver Officer | Ms Chai Min Fung, Senior Manager Deadline: 30 March 2026 https://forms.office.com/r /14A31sGDyQ?origin=lprLink Scan QR Code to register or visit the link: PARTICIPATE HERE Endorsed by : Department of Occupational Safety & Health Nomination is open for : Malaysian only Government Servants CEOs Directors MDs others . REQUIREMENTS PRIZE : GOLDEN HELMET and certificate Co-organizer: MBAM SITE PERSONNEL LEADERSHIP AWARD This award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional commitment and leadership in implementing safety and health practices at construction sites. REQUIREMENTS Malaysian construction site personnel who are directly responsible for supervising workers at their current project site. Applicants must be actively employed in the construction industry or construction-related fields. Demonstrated recognition by their employer for outstanding contribution and leadership in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) performance. Participation or involvement in safety-related activities organised by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and in CSR programs, if any. Previous recipients of the MBAM Safety & Health Awards are not eligible to participate. PRIZE : RM 5,000 Cash and certificateContents 37 MBAM HR Talk 2025 – Latest Procedures on Application & Hiring of Foreign Workers 38 ASEAN Real Estate Conference 2025 Webinar on Essential Knowledge on CIPAA Seminar on Construction Law 2025: Challenges in Construction Contracts 39 MBAM Construction Industry Dialogue 40 Budget 2026 Engagement Session Shell Technovation 2025 C&P Webinar Series— Proving Defects Engineer & Marvex 2025 Preview IGBC 2025 41 The Edge YTL Sustainable Construction Symposium 2025 C&P Webinar Series 4: EOT Claims Under Standard Forms 42 Seminar on Expansion of SST Scope & Stamp Duty 43 MBAM Contracts and Practices Conference 2025 44 MBAM OneBuild & OneWare 2025: A Premier Platform for Construction and Hardware Industries 46 ACM 2025 ASEAN—China Cooperation and Development Forum on Building Industry 2025 47 MBAM Seminar on Ergonomics in Construction 48 AIPA: Now & Future Conference – World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur 49 Construction Claims & ADR Conference Virtual Marathon 2025 MBAM C&P Webinar 5: Variations and Instructions in Construction Contracts MBAM C&P Webinar 6: LADs and Set-Off Industry & Practices 32 MBAM Annual Human Resources Conference 2025 33 Edge Best Managed & Sustainable Property Awards 2025 Advantage Austria Malaysia Business Event 34 11 th MBAM OSH Seminar Johor & Workshop 36 Workshop on CAP 2030 Webinar on Arbitration and Litigation of Construction Disputes Rail Infrastructure— The Gemas–Johor Bahru Electrified Double Track 14 Cover Feature 22 CIDB at 30—Building Malaysia’s Future Special Feature 28 71 st MBAM Annual General Meeting & Anniversary Dinner Special Feature 14283022 CIDB at 30Issue 137 Volume 4/2025 Visits & Dialogues 50 Visit from the High Commission of Canada Meeting—CIDB Study Visit to MRT Sungai Buloh Depot 51 Visit from CECCM CLAB Board Meeting Visit from Dunham Bush Sales and Services Engagement Session— Review of Sales Tax Rates & Targeted Expansion of the Scope of Service Tax Ministry of Housing—Panel of Experts Meeting Visit by the Green Building New Energy International Trade Cooperative, Beijing 52 MBAM M&E Site Visit to Sunway Square Meeting—Good Industry Practices Visit by China Silk Road Group Limited 53 Anugerah Tokoh & Tokoh Muda Kejuruteraan Negara 2025 Meeting—Speaker of Dewan Rakyat Meeting—UOB on Sustainability 54 Ontario Delegation Networking Session CIDB Discussion on Service Tax Expansion for Construction Works Meeting—CECCM 55 Working Meeting—NOSS-MASCO Mapping Review and Verification Meeting—Trans Elite Group and Zoomlion Meeting—SIKA Kimia 56 Ministry of Works Dialogue Session on Budget 2026 Budget Dialogue 2026 – Ministry of Education CIDB Contractor Process Strengthening Initiative Visit from CUICC – Roundtable Discussion and Networking 57 Polytechnic Industry Advisory Council Meeting & Dialogue Session with the Minister of Higher Education Visit to TCIM Sdn Bhd Budget 2026 – MITI Dialogue Session with Industry 58 MBAM M&E Study Visit— Hospital Kapar 59 MBAM Dialogue with SMBF Townhall—Amendment of Contractor Registration Regulations and the Contractor Registration Process Visit from CREAM Professional Development 60 MBAM Education Fund— Virtual Interview Session & Physical Interview Session MBAM Education Fund Board of Management Meeting 2/2025 MBAM Scholarship with YTL Foundation—2 nd Interview Session 61 16 th Intake—MBAM CCM Certification Programme – Method 2 (Interview) Preparedness Training 62 Seminar—Building the Future: Drones, AI & Digital Construction 64 ABMS Fast Track Cohort 1 Autodesk Masterclass Community & Social CS 66 MBAM Annual Golf Tournament 2025 67 BMDAM 35 th Annual Golf Tournament SPGAM 10 th Anniversary Dinner 2025 Selangor and Federal Territory of Kin Cho Hong 107 th Anniversary PKBM Dinner and 6 th AGM 68 FMM 57 th Anniversary Dinner ACEM 62 nd Anniversary Dinner JMBA 70 th Anniversary Dinner PIKOM Digital Excellence Award 69 MACRA 25 th Anniversary Dinner MIP MyPLACE Awards Dinner 2025 MISIF Steel Industry Annual Dinner MBAM Fellowship No. 4/2025 Welcome Reception for Deputy Chief of Mission, David H. Gamble, Jr. 70 The 53 rd Anniversary of SMBF and the 70 th Anniversary of Kuching Samarahan Division Building & Civil Engineering Contractors Association Dinner Features 74 Collaborating is the only way Forward 76 How Far Can an Arbitrator Go in Applying His Own Expertise and Knowledge? 78 Engineering Resilient Rail for Malaysia’s Next Chapter 80 AI Quality Control Detection in Property, Construction, Engineering and Safety—How Gen AI and Agentic AI Are Redefining Quality Assurance 82 Building Smarter, Building Safer— How Digital Transformation is Shaping Malaysia’s Construction Sites Sections 6 Editor’s Note 8 From the Desk of the MBAM President 10 MBAM Council Members 11 MBAM New Members 84 Industry News 86 Matrade’s Insight–Philippines 50443466616 MASTER BUILDERS JOURNAL #137 is published quarterly by the Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) Lot 92404, Persiaran Harmoni, Putra Heights, 47650 Subang Jaya, Selangor. MBJ Editorial Board PRESIDENT Oliver HC Wee, KMN, AMN EDITOR & COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN Yeoh Keong Yuan EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Loh Mei Ling, AMN GENERAL MANAGER Lenny Lim Len Wei MANAGER Mohd Hanif Ismail Publishing Agency Editorial & Design: Alex Choo, Candice Cherng and Shalini Mahendran of Memo Publishing www.memopublishing.com Printer Vivar Printing Sdn Bhd Lot 25 & 27, Rawang Integrated Industrial Park, Jalan Batu Arang, Rawang, 48000 Rawang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. Publication Disclaimer The publication has been compiled by Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) with great care and we disclaim any duty to investigate any product, process, service, design and the like, which may be described in this publication. The appearance of any information in this publication does not necessarily constitute endorsement by MBAM. There is no guarantee that the information in this publication is free from errors. MBAM does not necessarily agree with statements or opinions expressed in this publication. Copyright Master Builders Journal is the official journal of and published four issues yearly by Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM), and distributed by Central Paper Agencies Sdn Bhd. The Publisher retains the copyright over all materials published in the magazine. No part of this magazine may be reproduced and transmitted in any form or stored in any retrieval system of any nature without the prior written permission from the publisher. Editor’s Note Article contributions on topics relevant to the construction industry are highly encouraged. Contact ed@mbam.org.my for more information or to submit article proposals for consideration. Call for Articles MBJ Readership Survery Warm greetings to all our readers. It is with immense pride and a deep sense of accomplishment that we present Issue 137 of the Master Builders Journal. This edition arrives at a significant moment for our industry, as we celebrate milestones that redefine the landscape of Malaysian infrastructure. A Landmark in Rail Connectivity Our cover story for this issue focuses on the Gemas–Johor Bahru Electrified Double Track Project (PLBEGJB), a monumental feat of engineering undertaken by the SIPP–YTL JV. Having been personally involved in this project, I can attest to the dedication and technical prowess required to bring such a vision to life. We were truly honoured by the presence of Duli Yang Amat Mulia Tunku Ismail, Regent of Johor, and YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, along with esteemed Federal and State leaders, who graced the ceremony marking the completion and official handover of the project to the Government of Malaysia. Their support underscores the strategic importance of this rail link in enhancing our nation’s connectivity. Exploring Rail Technology and Beyond As this issue focuses on Rail Technology and Development, we are privileged to feature expert contributions that delve into the innovations driving the rail sector forward. However, our content remains diverse, addressing the legal, technological, and international dimensions of construction: — Legal Insights: An exploration into ‘How far can an arbitrator go in applying his own expertise and knowledge?’ by Faten Nadia Adzarudi and Chan Kheng Hoe, — The AI Revolution: A look at ‘AI Quality Control Detection in Property, Construction, Engineering, and Safety’ by ASI Builder, — Safety & Innovation: A feature on ‘Building Smarter, Building Safer’ by Novade Solutions, and — Global Horizons: MATRADE provides a valuable outlook on ‘Opportunities in the Philippines Sustainable Construction Industry’. Celebrating 30 Years of CIDB This year also marks a historic milestone: the 30 th Anniversary of CIDB. In this issue, we take a nostalgic look back at the pivotal role MBAM played in its inception. It is a testament to the enduring partnership between the private sector and the government in elevating the standards of our industry. A Note of Gratitude This publication would not be possible without the unwavering commitment of our contributors, who share their invaluable knowledge, and our advertisers, whose support allows us to maintain the highest quality of journalism. To our readers, thank you for your continued loyalty. Together, we will ensure that the Master Builders Journal remains the definitive voice of the Malaysian construction industry. As we look ahead, Issue 138 will shift its focus to the backbone of our industry: Human Resources. We look forward to sharing those insights with you soon. Happy reading! Warm regards, Yeoh Keong Yuan Editor, Master Builders Journal Master Builders JournalMARKETS • Building • Energy • Environmental • Infrastructure • Water SECTORS • Airports • Bridges • Commercial Buildings • Corporate Interiors • Hospitals and Healthcare • Hotels and Resorts • Industrial and Manufacturing • Institutions and Cultural • Life Science • Oil and Gas • Ports and Marine • Rail and Transit • Reclamation • Recreation and Entertainment • Residential • Retail • River and Water • Roads and Highways • Sports • Technology and Data Centre • TunnelsNext >