KOTA KINABALU: Three engineering professional bodies comprising The Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM) Sabah branch, Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia (ACEM) Sabah branch and Sabah Engineers Association are urging the government to consider reviewing the current design codes and take into account the earthquake loadings in all future buildings and development projects in the State.
IEM Sabah branch chairman Tan Koh Yon said there were hardly any earthquake resistant buildings in Sabah despite the fact that Sabah experienced the highest frequency and magnitude of earthquakes in Malaysia.
“We will offer our engineering knowledge and professional input if required by the government.
“At the same time, we would also like to suggest to the government that research and development in earthquake or seismology studies to be carried out and set up in Sabah, especially in Ranau and Lahad Datu areas where the active fault zones were found,” Tan said in his welcoming speech during the official opening ceremony of IEM Training Centre here yesterday.
The event was graced by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman. IEM Sabah is the first branch of the institution to build a training centre in Malaysia.
Tan said the IEM Training Centre had withstood the tremors caused by the earthquake that happened on Mount Kinabalu.
However, the 5.9-magnitude earthquake in Ranau has shocked the whole state of Sabah, he said, causing not only serious damage to buildings and infrastructures, but also claimed 18 lives at Mount Kinabalu.
“Many have suffered in Ranau, Kundasang and Kota Belud areas as their livelihoods were badly affected.”
As an immediate response and part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR), Tan said the Women Engineers and Young Engineers Section of IEM Sabah Branch in collaboration with Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) and others have commenced a fund-raising and donation drive campaign.
“A sum of about RM17,000 worth of cash, food and goods have been collected, delivered and handed over to the affected people of the Mountain Guides Association last Thursday on June 9.”
On the training centre, Tan said the IEM Sabah branch’s collaboration with TAS Institute of Oil and Gas provided training courses specifically in the oil and gas industry.
He said IEM Sabah branch had the vision to set up its own training centre about 20 years ago.
“Bearing this mission in mind, the past chairmen of IEM Sabah have embarked, firstly purchased the land, then planned and carried out the ground work, and subsequently built and completed this very unique IEM Training Centre that is equipped with many green features to showcase green technology.”
Tan also expressed his gratitude to the State Government and Musa for his strong support and allocation of RM500,000 grant to the institution as seed money to start and complete the training centre.
At present, there are 220 students undergoing training for the oil and gas industry at the centre. They are the 11th batch of students who undertook the course since the inception of the oil and gas training course by TAS Institute of Oil and Gas in 2008.
Meanwhile, TAS Institute of Oil and Gas executive director Willie Ng said the institute had trained close to 1,000 students since 2008, of which some were now working at modern offshore platforms and oil rigs in Sabah operated by Shell.
Ng said the training centre was currently packed but future expansion, which he expected to materialize in eight months’ time, would accommodate 500 students.
“With the expansion programme that we have, we are going to be a very integrated oil and gas training centre, catering for the low and high end, including having safety training,” he said, adding that TAS Institute of Oil and Gas ran the only globally recognized oil and gas operation technician course in Sabah.