JOHOR BAHRU: The Institute of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) Southern Branch turned 52 this year and the decades of playing an important role in Johor engineering scene was marked with a memorable gala dinner and awards night at Holiday Villa Hotel.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Citra Daksina performers welcomed guests with a traditional dance, followed by a Diabolo Performance by the UTM Diabolo Club . The third performance was Malam Pesta Muda Mudi, also by UTM Citra Daksina.

The night’s event was attended by some 400 guests, representative of the Johor Menteri Besar, Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh as the Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi was unable to attend as he had a prior engagement.

Also present were Professor Dr. Norlida Buniyamin, president of the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia, Thayala R. Selvaduray, chairman of IEM Southern Branch, Indonesian consul general in Johor Sigit Suryantoro Widiyanto and IEM Southern Branch dinner organizing chairman David Puen Ming Shen.

In reading out the Menteri Besar’s speech, Mohamad Fazli said we gather here to celebrate not only our achievements as engineers but also the significant impact we have on the economy of Malaysia particularly in the era of Malaysia Madani.

Mohamad Fazli who is also Johor Public Works, Transport and Infrastructure Committee chairman said we will shed light on the role of engineers in the sustainability and growth of Johor, driven by new developments such as the Rapid Transit System (RTS), data centers and our proximity to Singapore.

“We need to commend the visionary leadership of Malaysia Madani, which focuses on driving economic progress through sustainable means,” he said.

He explained that Johor with its strategic location and recent growth opportunities have further strengthened its position in the national economy.

He also noted that the upcoming RTS connecting Johor to Singapore, will undoubtedly unlock a wide range of economic benefits.

“Improved connectivity will enhance trade, facilitate the movement of goods and services, and foster collaborations between industries in both countries,” he said.

Our engineers, he said have played a crucial role in designing and constructing this ambitious project, ensuring that it meets the highest standards of safety, efficiency, and reliability.

He also pointed out that Johor will see RM17 billion worth of new investment in data centres.

He went on to say that Johor’s proximity to regional and international markets, combined with its infrastructure and resources, has made it an ideal location for data center investments.

As engineers, he said we have been at the forefront of designing and implementing these state-of-the-art facilities, ensuring that they meet the necessary standards for data protection, energy efficiency, and scalability.

Not mincing his words, Mohamad Fazli disclosed that the state government has full trust in IEM (Southern Branch) as a learned professional body to provide professional engineering inputs to the state government through engagement with the local authorities and other initiatives.

He also assured that he will do his best to assist IEM Southern Branch to secure a piece of land in South Johor to be a hub as an Engineering Incubation and Innovation Centre.

In his welcome address, Thayala R. Selvaduray said engineers are one of the key players in ensuring Johor to be a major economic hub in the region.

Engineers, he stressed are tasked to deliver engineering with forefront technology in building a better and more sustainable development.

“In a rapid economic recovery phase in all sectors, engineers’ contribution and participation will go a long way to help the economic recovery, towards modernization and technological advancement,” adding that engineers will continue to uphold this responsibility.

He also revealed that IEM Southern Engineers took a key role in publishing an IEM Handbook on Engineering Guideline for Dengue Eradication with support of IEM engineers from all states.

He said that IEM Southern have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with UTM, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) and with Southern University College for further collaborations in the future.

The need to nurture future talents is also important and for that IEM Southern Branch recognized the achievements of seven students and presented them with the Academic Award 2023. The selection is based on the overall standing achievements, merits and personal traits of the recipients.

Two engineering companies received the Engineering Excellence Award for their contribution towards advancement of engineering in Johor, contribution to the well-being of people and communities, pioneering the use of materials and methods and innovations in planning, design and construction.

IEM president Professor Dr. Norlida Buniyamin in her address said she was happy to note that IEM Southern Branch is the second largest IEM branch in Malaysia.

“I am pleased to note that they have their own premise and the membership had grown to about 5700 members,” she said.

She said the size of the branch and the number of activities have long outgrown the capacity of the current premises.

She called on all to expand their attention on upgrading and enabling the branches to provide the necessary support and services to the increasing membership in various states.

IEM, she said is taking steps to strengthen the bond that they have with their branches.

“Whilst every effort is being made to bring in new and innovative benefits to our members, our core services such as our benevolent fund, education fund, scholarships and other similar benefits which currently exist will not be neglected,” she added.

Since it’s establishment in 1959, IEM has grown exponentially over the years with its membership standing at 50,000 members.