A Defining Moment for ACEM: Battling Storms and Seizing the Future

This morning's physical and virtual gathering of the Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia (ACEM) was more than just the 61st Annual General Meeting (AGM); it was a defining moment in the history of the organization. For the first time, ACEM embraced the digital age, hosting its AGM online, a move that symbolized both resilience and innovation in these transformative times. This bold step into the future may well spark a new wave of interest and participation, breathing fresh life into the venerable institution.

As the meeting progressed, a palpable tension filled the virtual room. The final agenda item unleashed a torrent of passionate voices, each one echoing the deep concerns of senior engineers grappling with a rapidly changing industry landscape. These were not mere complaints, but urgent calls to action, each one highlighting the formidable challenges facing the consulting engineering sector.

At the forefront of these challenges were the newly imposed government regulations. The HRD levy and amendments to the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) were likened to albatrosses around the necks of consultants, dragging down their businesses with increased costs and bureaucratic burdens. The frustration was palpable, the air thick with discontent as seasoned professionals voiced their fears of an uncertain future.

Adding fuel to the fire was the slow, almost glacial progress in persuading the Ministry of Finance (MOF) to review Pekeliling Perbendaharaan PK 3.2. The Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM), which should have been their champion, seemed mired in inertia. Engineers felt abandoned, their voices lost in the bureaucratic wilderness, with no empathetic ear to hear their plight.

The crisis of the present was overshadowed by a looming threat to the future: young engineers turning their backs on the profession. The Professional Competency Examination (PCE) and the coveted title of Professional Engineer with Practicing Certificate (PEPC) were no longer attractive. Low salaries and high liabilities pushed bright minds away from consulting, leading to a potential exodus of talent. The heart of the profession was bleeding, and the lifeblood of its future was draining away.

Membership stagnation in ACEM underscored the severity of the situation. Amid these turbulent times, calls for BEM to evolve became a clarion call for survival. Members argued vehemently that leadership within BEM should spring from the industry itself, not from insulated government departments. Industry professionals, they insisted, understood the trenches' realities and could fight their battles without the shadow of conflicts of interest that plagued government officials.

The generational divide added another layer of complexity. Younger engineers, disillusioned and disenfranchised, accused BEM of being more interested in collecting dues than in championing their cause. In stark contrast, older engineers clung to the belief that BEM and the Registration of Engineers Act (REA) existed to protect the public, not the profession. This clash of perspectives underscored the urgent need for BEM to find a balance between regulatory duties and proactive advocacy.

Despite the storm of grievances, a beacon of hope flickered as some members called for ACEM to raise its voice, to shout from the rooftops the challenges and injustices faced by consulting engineers. Yet, the leadership, being cautious and traditionalist, advocated for a measured approach. They believed that working within the system, slow and frustrating as it might be, was the safer path. Their reluctance to adopt a more confrontational stance suggested a strategy of endurance, hoping for gradual change rather than immediate upheaval.

As ACEM stands at this crossroads, the decisions made now will reverberate through the coming years. The battle lines are drawn between tradition and innovation, regulation and advocacy. The stakes have never been higher. Will ACEM rise to the challenge, harnessing the storm to propel the profession forward, or will it be swept away by the tides of change? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the future of consulting engineering in Malaysia hangs in the balance, teetering on the edge of a dramatic transformation.