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JURUTERA, May 2005 3
BULETIN IEMThe Institution and Dimension are not responsible for anystatements made or opinions expressed by the writers or
reporters in its publication.
The Editorial Board reserves the right to edit all articlescontributed for publication.
Jurutera Monthly Circulation: 15,000 copies
READER’S CONTRIBUTION INVITEDWe invite members and others to submit comments
and articles for publication in the Bulletin.
Please send your contribution to theChief Editor,The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia Bangunan Ingenieur, Lots 60 & 62,Jalan 52/4, Peti Surat 223 (Jalan Sultan),46720 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.Tel: 03-7968 4001/2E-mail: [email protected] (Nurul)IEM Home Page: http://www.iem.org.my
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EDITORIALTechnological Revolution – Do We Deserve To Be Left Behind? ...............5
COVER STORYNew IEM President – His Vision For The Institution ................................. 6
FEATURESMobile Phones – Health And Safety ............................................................ 1222nd Conference Of The ASEAN Federation Of Engineering Organisations (CAFEO) .......................................................... 18Natural Stable River Section Design Using Fluvial-12 ............................. 24Wastewater Treatment For The Recycled Pulp And Paper Industry ............................................................................................... 29The Future Of Hydropower In Malaysia .................................................... 322-Cycle Moment Distribution For The Analysis Of Continuous Beams And Multi-Storey Framed Structures ........................34
REPORTSUKM Chemical Engineering Students Win IEM’s 1st Malaysian Chem-E-Car Competition 2004 ....................................... 36Half Day Seminar On Home Automation And Security System ............................................................................................. 38Visit To Open University Malaysia .............................................................. 40Visit To New Straits Times Press (NSTP) .................................................... 40Integrated Transport Information System (ITIS) For Kuala Lumpur: The Clear Way To Go ......................................................... 41MMU Cyberjaya Membership Drive ........................................................43G&S Bowling Competition ..........................................................................43The Trip Down To MMU Melaka ................................................................. 44
AnnouncementCongratulate Message .................................................................................... 39Receive IEM Announcements Early Via E-mail .........................................39
BLUE PAGESMembership ....................................................................................................... 1IEM Training Centre ......................................................................................8
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JURUTERA, May 2005 5
Number 5 May 2005IEM Registered on 1st May 1959
THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, MALAYSIABangunan Ingenieur, Lots 60 & 62, Jalan 52/4, P.O. Box 223,
(Jalan Sultan) 46720 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.Tel: 03-7968 4001/4002 Fax: 03-7957 7678
E-mail: [email protected] Homepage: http://www.iem.org.my
MAJLIS BAGI SESI 2005/2006 (IEM COUNCIL SESSION 2005/2006)YANG DIPERTUA / PRESIDENT:Ir. Prof. Dr Ow Chee Sheng
TIMBALAN YANG DIPERTUA / DEPUTY PRESIDENT:Dato’ Paduka Ir. Keizrul bin Abdullah
NAIB YANG DIPERTUA / VICE PRESIDENTS:Ir. Choo Kok Beng, Ir. Neoh Cheng Aik, Ir. Prof. Ishak bin Abdul Rahman, Ir. Prof. Dr Chuah Hean Teik, Ir. Prof. Dr Ruslan bin Hassan, Y. Bhg. Dato’ Ir. Hj Abdul Rashidbin Maidin, Ir. Tan Yean Chin
SETIAUSAHA KEHORMAT / HONORARY SECRETARY:Ir. M.C. Hee
BENDAHARI KEHORMAT / HONORARY TREASURER:Ir. Lee Weng Onn
WAKIL STRUKTUR / STRUCTURAL REPRESENTATIVE: Ir. Jeffery Chiang Choong Luin
WAKIL AWAM / CIVIL REPRESENTATIVE: Ir. Aik Siaw Kong
WAKIL ELEKTRIK / ELECTRICAL REPRESENTATIVE:Ir. Mah Soo
WAKIL MEKANIK / MECHANICAL REPRESENTATIVE:Ir. Gopal Narian Kutty
WAKIL KIMIA & DISIPLIN LAIN / CHEMICAL & OTHERS REPRESENTATIVE: Ir. Ahmad Nordeen bin Mohd. Salleh
AHLI MAJLIS / COUNCIL MEMBERS:Ir. Dr Wong Chin Chaw, Ir. Prof. Dr Siti Hamisah binti Tapsir, Ir. Chin Mee Poon, Ir. PeterTan Hoh You, Ir. Kukanesan a/l Sakthiveil, Ir. Muhammad Imran bin Baharuddin, Ir. Adnan bin Zulkiple, Ir. David Lai Kong Phooi, Ir. Manogaran a/l K. Raman, Ir. Hj.Mohd. Hassin @ Mohd Hashim Daud, Ir. Assoc. Prof. Lt. Kol. Mohd. Hazani bin Hj.Shafie, Ir. Mohd. Rasid bin Osman, Ir. Woo Ah Keong, Ir. Yeo Boon Kah, Ir. Yusouf binAhmad, Ir. Dr Tee Tiam Ting, Ir. Vincent Chen Kim Kieong, Ir. Dr Tan Yean Guan, Ir. Dr G. Balamurugan, Ir. Yim Hon Wa, Ir. Patrick Cyril Augustin, Ir. Major (R) Hj. Ahmad Mazlan bin Othman, Y. Bhg. Datuk Abdul Hadi bin Mohd. Deros, Ir. Dr Judin bin Abdul Karim
BEKAS YANG DIPERTUA TERAKHIR / IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: Ir. Prof. Abang Abdullah bin Abang Ali
BEKAS YANG DIPERTUA / PAST PRESIDENT:Y. Bhg. Tan Sri Ir. (Dr) J. G. Daniel, Ir. T. T. Chiam , Y. Bhg. Dato’ Ir. Pang Leong Hoon, Y. Bhg. Academician Dato’ Ir. Lee Yee Cheong, Ir. P.E. Chong, Y. Bhg . Dato’ Ir. AbdulRashid bin Ahmad, Ir. Dr Ting Wen Hui, Ir. Hj. Mohd Mazlan, Y. Bhg. Datuk Ir. (Dr) Hj. Ahmad Zaidee bin Laidin, Ir. Dr Gue See Sew
PENGERUSI CAWANGAN / BRANCH CHAIRMAN:Pulau Pinang – Ir. Vincent Tan Huei MengSelatan – Ir. Steve Chong Yoon OnPerak – Y. Bhg. Dato’ Ir. Hj. Abdul Rahman bin DahanTimur – Y. Bhg. Dato’ Ir. Hj. Annies bin Md. AriffTerengganu – Y. Bhg. Dato’ Ir. Hj. Mohamad bin HusinNegeri Sembilan – Ir. Hj. Jamil bin IbrahimMelaka – Ir. Hj. Abd Rahim bin ShamsudinSarawak – Y. Bhg. Datu Ir. Hubert Thian Chong HuiSabah – Ir. Lee Tet FonMiri – Ir. Dr Edwin Jong Nyon TchanKedah-Perlis – Y. Bhg. Dato’ Ir. Hj. Abdullah bin Hj. Abbas
LEMBAGA PENGARANG / EDITORIAL BOARD (2004/2005 SESSION):Ketua Pengarang / Chief Editor – Ir. Assoc. Prof. Megat Johari bin Megat Mohd. NoorPengarang (Bulletin) / Bulletin Editor – Sdr. K.H. ManPengarang (Jurnal) / Journal Editor – Ir. Mohd. Rasid bin OsmanSetiausaha / Secretary – Ir. Mohd. Khir bin MuhammadAhli-Ahli / Committee Member – Y. Bhg. Dato’ Ir. Hj. Abdul Rashid bin Maidin,Prof. Dr Asbi bin Ali, Dr Chuah Teong Guan, Assoc. Prof. Dr Deepak Kumar Ghodgaonkar
AHLI JAWATANKUASA PENERBITAN / STANDING COMMITTEE ONPUBLICATIONS (2004/2005 SESSION):Pengerusi / Chairman: Ir. Chee Meng SangNaib Pengerusi / Vice Chairman: Ir. Prof. Dr Ruslan bin HassanSetiausaha / Secretary: Ir. Mohd. Khir bin MuhammadPengerusi (Perpustakaan) / Library Chairman: Dr Chuah Teong GuanAhli-Ahli / Committee Member: Ir. Chin Mee Poon, Ir. Assoc. Prof. Dr Mohd. Zamin binJumaat, Y. Bhg. Dato’ Ir. Hj. Abdul Rashid bin Maidin, Ir. Prof. Dr Amir Hashim bin Mohd.Kassim, Ir. Lim Eng Hwa, Ir. Low Ah Peng, Ir. Loh Lim Huat, Ir. Mah Soo, Ir. Look Kemanbin Hj. Sahari, Ir. Assoc. Prof. Megat Johari bin Megat Mohd. Noor, Ir. Mohd. Rasid binOsman, Sdr. K.H. Man, Prof. Dr Asbi bin Ali, Sdr. Karthigesu Muniyandi.
Technological Revolution – Do We Deserve To Be LeftBehind?.....................................................................................
By: Ir. Loh Lim Huat
There have been a lot of initiatives by our countryleaders in pushing the nation forward. Some of these
initiatives are Multimedia Super Corridor, Cyberjaya,Kulim Hi-tech Industrial Park and so on. It is very clear that our country is really serious in acquiringtechnological know-how and to remain in the forefront oftechnological changes.
The mobile services and devices are definitelyundergoing revolutionary change. Today, with theadvancement of technology, one can get many mobileservices such as banking, accessing news and information,downloading software and games, getting entertainmentof new full-motion video and audio and other informationfrom the Internet that make life very different than it usedto be, much more convenient and easier.
Beside the services, there are many such mobile devicesthat can equally bring about these services. There are thesmart cellular phone, palm PDA with wireless modem,pocket PC with wireless modem or a combination of thesedevices. Many manufacturers are bringing to life the truebenefits for subscribers with the availability of smartphones for use on networks. One manufacturer is makingadvanced, high-quality mobile services available for bothwork and play. The smart phone is an example of a fullfeatured device that allows users to customize their mobileexperience with applications that fit their particular needsand take some of the best of the Web with them while onthe go – all in a true high speed mobile environment.
With such devices and services, it can definitely satisfybusiness travelers with all sorts of information such as time zones, weather conditions and currency conversion;serious people with high productivity on the go by having word processing documents, presentations andspreadsheets; sports fanatics by updated scores, standings,news, streaming video highlights and live professionalfootball and basketball games.
The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM) has toseriously think of its direction especially in a world of fastchanging lifestyle with the availability of technologicalrevolutions in the Information Technology (IT) andElectronic Engineering field. It ought not to be left behindbut to put together a picture of the future world and withthis, lead the engineering fraternity so that engineers canbetter prepare themselves for the changes that is about tohappen. In doing so, engineers would also be in betterposition to tap new business opportunities that will bepresenting themselves along with the change. There existsalready many new ways of doing old things. As anexample, a company became successful by offering hotelrooms to prospective guests at the eleventh hour with highdiscount on price through the Web. We should be askingourselves. “Do we deserve to be left behind?” ■
JURUTERAE D I T O R I A L
JURUTERA, May 20056
C O V E R S T O R Y
The Institution of Engineers,Malaysia’s (IEM) new President,
Ir. Prof. Dr Ow Chee Sheng is nonewcomer to the Institution. Over theyears, having served in the differentpositions of Council member, HonoraryTreasurer, Honorary Secretary, VicePresident and subsequently DeputyPresident, this learned individual isgeared to implementing some new andvibrant ideas into this organisation.
Humble in nature, Dr Ow, as he isfondly referred to, declined to reveal hismany achievements and went straight tooutlining his goals for IEM during histenureship as the President.
According to Dr Ow, IEM’s role haschanged tremendously since its birth inthe beginning after Malaysia’sindependence and there is a need torecognise the paradigm shifts whichhave since taken place and take steps toaddress these challenges in order toremain relevant.
Amongst these steps include severallocal and regional initiatives which IEMshould undertake as well as existinginitiatives that need to be furtherstrengthened.
Rating of Engineering FacultiesDr Ow believes that engineeringeducation is one of the major regionalchallenges facing the ASEAN Federationof Engineering Organisations (AFEO)and IEM and there is a need to rateengineering education establishmentsregionally and locally so that a degree ofcomfort is provided to the public as towhich engineering faculty is best for aparticular discipline for students to beginhis or her pursuance of an engineeringcareer.
“Historically, due to the practice ofsending students to universitiesoverseas, a level of comfort is achievedwhen such graduates returned to workwithin the country. This de-factorecognition grew out of respect for suchqualifications due to the remarkableperformance of overseas returninggraduates,” he said.
“Such is no longer true whencommercialisation of education is inplace as seen today. Whilst universitiesstill provided the necessary education for
those who qualified and needed it, thecomfort level one has with these are nolonger benchmark-able. Henceforth thereis a dire need for rating to be conductedby professional bodies which areindependent and not influenced by anyparty,” he said.
“The spirit of this rating includesemploying a standard set of criteriaagreed by members. AFEO, for example,should set the benchmark for the region.The comfort we gain from such anexercise would be similar to theWashington Accord whose purpose is toprovide mutual comfort in eachparticipating signatory’s accreditationmethods and standards to be achievedfor graduate engineers. This exercise isone which is continuous, requiring longterm commitment on the part of allsignatories,” he said.
Role of Regional RegistersThe role played by IEM at regional andinternational forums is very important,according to Dr Ow. “The StandingCommittee for Corporate Affairs wascreated to undertake this job and underthis Standing Committee, the registerfor ASEAN Engineers, Asia PacificEconomic Cooperation (APEC) and
Engineers Mobility Forum (EMF) havebeen developed. The ASEAN EngineersRegister (AER) being a trade register forprofessionals within ASEAN was set up by AFEO in which IEM is a foundermember. The APEC and EMF registersare separate registers set up respectivelyby APEC economies, namely countrieswhich reside around the Asia Pacific rim, and from the Washington Accordcountries. The aim of these registers is to benchmark professionals within each region as having substantialequivalence.”
Dr Ow said that these regionalbenchmarks should be maintained sothat a regional level of comfort can beassured when clients utilise services ofprofessionals in these registers.
“A system of maintenance andcontinuous recognition of competencyshould be instituted so that those whoare no longer in active engineeringpractice should be gracefully phasedout,” he said.
Position StatementsDuring the era of past president Dr GueSee Sew, many Position PaperCommittees were set up to addresscurrent and future issues facing theprofession.
There are presently more than 15Position Paper Committees workingwithin the IEM set up, the latest being onDesign for Earthquake. The purpose ofsuch documents is to express IEM’sposition on various issues which affect
New IEM President – His Vision for the Institution..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
By: R.G. Candiah
Ir. Prof. Dr Ow Chee Sheng, IEM President for Session of 2005/2006
Countless of Presidents have moulded the IEM intobeing the backbone of the Engineering Profession in
Malaysia
JURUTERA, May 20058
C O V E R S T O R Y
the nation and the engineeringprofession. Members of the PositionPaper Committees are drawn from IEM’smembership as well as from those havingthe expertise outside IEM.
“As these are statements of supportfor certain technical issues, they alsoprovide necessary data for writers ofpolicy papers to quote when needed.This is an ongoing process in whichreviews shall be carried out at regularintervals to update the document, albeitanother long term commitment whichIEM has undertaken. We have seen thatsome of these Position Statements haveserved its purpose by providing themuch needed professional stand ofengineers to those who needed it to makepolicy decisions,” he said.
Meeting the Realistic ChallengesEvery non-profit society faces externaland internal threats. For IEM inparticular, the internal threat sometimesoverwhelms the external threat viadiffering views amongst Council andExecutive Committee members withsecretariat staff caught in the middle.
“I would like to put forth the ideathat key positions within the IEMstructure should seek the person insteadof the present method of the candidateseeking the post for whatever reasons,”he said.
“What are the tools available for themembership to identify future leadersand yet at the same time train theyounger members to become futureleaders as well? We have a constitutionwhich is sufficiently flexible for this to beimplemented but then the will to do somust prevail. How do we enhancetechnical relevance and competency andlook after the professional well-being ofour members?” he asks.
Initiatives Taken by IEM CouncilAccording to Dr Ow, there are fivepressing needs that need to be lookedinto, namely, to orientate new Councilmembers, provide leadership training,identify new leaders and to promotefellowship and build teamwork amongstCouncil members.
“The last IEM Council had gone for abrainstorming retreat to address theabove issues. The major issues discussedat the October’04 council brainstormingcould be divided into four major areasalthough there are more issues facing theIEM council at present. Further similaractivity shall target towards addressingthe remaining issues in the near future,”he added.
The objectives of thebrainstorming were fourfold:addressing IEM’s value to the general membership, IEM’s leadership and thecompetition, IEM’s nimblenessand responsiveness to currentissues and IEM’s issue ofvolunteerism, education,marketing and certification. Thetopics discussed included:• Future role of IEM as a
membership driven society• Empowerment and
delegation• Council effectiveness and
governance• Products and services to meet
membership/society needs
“On the future role of IEM as amembership-driven society, thequestions addressed included how IEMfared in the past, its present performanceand how it should fare in the near future.The reality is that our membership hasstagnated (number of delinquents equalsthe number of new members) and that isan immediate challenge for the IEMCouncil to address,” he said.
“To make the society more nimbleand responsive to current issues, acertain degree of empowerment anddelegation is needed,” adding that it wasalways easier said than done.
“However, with such empowerment,there must also be in place a reliabilitycentre scheme so as to ensure that suchdelegation of Council’s authority doesnot lead to lengthy litigious issues,” hesaid.
“The Council should also address theissue of Council effectiveness andgovernance by the Council. Is theCouncil and its Executive Committeeinto too much micro-managing whilstmissing the ‘Mega’ issues facing IEM?Are we providing the right kind ofproducts and services for the members soas to retain membership loyalty? Eventhe more successful societies of the Westdo face the question of ageingmembership and the loyalty of its currentcrop of members,” he said.
Dr Ow is of the opinion thatvolunteerism is very much alive amongstIEM’s membership both new and old.
“We need to address the role of ourPast Presidents more effectively andorientate new volunteers so that theyknow when and how to steer clear ofissues of conflict of interest,” he added.
“Arising from the brainstorming, anaction plan has been drawn out. I hope
we can fulfil 30% of the identified criticalareas, within the year,” he said.
Speed of Change and AdvocacyChange is constant and if IEM is aware ofthe changes which surround it, it canadvocate suitable responses to meet thesechallenges.
“A particularly important area whichIEM can look at is the realm of advocacy.Engineers need to face the challenges ofadvocacy to achieve one’s eventualobjectives. Again being a learned societythe issues in advocacy runs contrary toour very existence. This is another issuefor the Council to address,” he said.
BenchmarksServing the needs of members first andsociety second, IEM is faced with majorchallenges ahead, some of which requirethe review of existing strategies andbenchmarks.
“The benchmark of engineeringeducation standards need to be looked at.Through our accreditation practices ofthe past and our present involvementwith the Engineering AccreditationCouncil (EAC) hosted by the Board ofEngineers, efforts toward maintenance ofminimum engineering academicachievement have been made,” he said.
Dr Ow said that with the world trendof moving towards an outcome basedevaluation of engineering programmes,universities will have to closely monitorthe performance index of their productseven after the student graduates so as tosee their competitiveness and relevanceto the industry.
He added that in addition to servingas a partner in the EngineeringAccreditation Council (EAC), IEMshould also work closely with overseaslearned societies to directly accredit
On a lighter note, Dr Ow in a traditional costume with two ofhis daughters on the occasion of his eldest daughter’s wedding
JURUTERA, May 200510
C O V E R S T O R Y
engineering programmes requested bylocal and regional universities so as tocomplement the EAC’s effort.
Dr Ow however is of the opinion thatthe EAC would be redundant if it fails toget Malaysia into the Washington Accordas a full member within a specifictimeline.
“IEM has with the BEM beenconducting an annual examination forthe working technical sub-professional toacquire the basic qualifications forbecoming a professional engineer. In thisrespect, the Engineering Council of UK (EC) examinations for which weadopted as a ready benchmark haveserved its useful purpose. With the recent sub-contracting of ECexaminations to City and Guilds, a profit body with some conflict of interest,it would be wise for IEM to develop itsown local benchmark with the assistanceof local Institutions of Higher Learning ofacceptable standards,” he said.
“On the professional inter-view forcorporate membership of the institution,there is a need to define the benchmarkwhich corporate members needed tomeet and not leave it to be benchmarkedagainst the experiences of theprofessional interviewer so appointed,”he added.
Targeting of Non-CorporateMembersDr Ow said that the non-corporatemembers’ category of the recentlyamended IEM Constitution needed to beaddressed.
“We have a larger body ofengineering-based workforce which IEMshould embrace so that they too have aplatform to voice their priorities. In theUK two models are available. TheChartered Technician and IncorporatedMember category is spelt out within theInstitution of Civil Engineers Charter(ICE) whereas a new Institution ofIncorporated Engineers (IIE) is formedspecifically to cater for members of non-civil disciplines,” he said.
“The IEM has followed the ICEmodel in as far as the incorporatedmember category is concerned but mucheffort needs to be done to get thiscategory of membership expanded in ourregister. Perhaps with the activeparticipation of the Graduate andStudent’s Section we can see somemovement of membership in thiscategory,” he concluded.
DiversityDue to the diverse member-shipcategories which form IEM, there is aneed to constantly safeguard againstfragmentation.
“As such it had been a gentlemen’sagreement to rotate the Presidencyamongst the 3 major disciplines, apractice in place in the past and until thepresent. Recent trends have tended tolean more towards Civil Engineering dueperhaps to the larger number of activecivil engineers within IEM’smembership. We need to safeguard thatthe Council and Excomm speaks andexpounds the views of all engineers andnot one discipline alone. Our strengthsand weaknesses lie in our diversity,” hesaid.
“If we do not duplicate efforts by theformation of more institutions eachrepresenting a different discipline, wesomehow have to respect the aspirationsof all members other than the majority,”he added.
Role of IEM and BEMAlthough IEM assisted in the setting upof the Board of Engineers with theenactment of the Registration ofEngineers Act, 1967 which has since beenamended, the role of these two bodies are significantly different, oneaddressing the issue of public safetywhilst IEM is the society representing theengineers themselves.
“Complementary rather thancompetitive functions are seen here andsometimes these functions appear tooverlap. I do see the need for IEM andthe BEM to work together towardsfulfilling the aspiration of the nation butsometimes it is the players who need tobe reminded regularly,” he said.
“IEM is merely a vehicle, thesubscriptions being payment for its fuel,to be steered by its membership and Iwish to reiterate that one should not askwhat IEM can do for you but what youcan do for IEM to make it a worthy bodywhich represents the engineers here,” Dr Ow concluded. ■
The text of this article is based on an interview withIr. Prof. Dr Ow and on the text of Ir. Prof. Dr Ow’sPresidential Address delivered at the recent IEMAGM.
A BRIEF PROFILE OF DR. OW
Dr Ow graduated from the Universityof Canterbury (New Zealand) with aBEng (Hons) in 1972 and holds a PhDfrom Imperial College, London (1980).
...............................The 56 year old father of three girlshas been with the Universiti TeknologiMARA (UiTM) since 1973. Prior to that he served as a Research Assistantin the Mechanical EngineeringDepartment, Faculty of Engineering,University of Canterbury, NewZealand.
...............................He has contributed well over 60papers in journals, proceedings andseminars and currently is an authorityon Marine Growth Prevention inMalaysia. He is behind numerousMalaysian inventions in the field of marine growth prevention andthese inventions are used worldwideby large conglomerates andgovernments. To the uninitiated inthis unique field, the field of marinegrowth prevention and research savesoil and gas companies millionsthrough the pioneering of uniquemarine growth control solutions formarine structures.
...............................His area of expertise is the breakingdown of the marine colonisationprocess by preventing the formationof microbial slime or micro fouling.Hard fouling organisms such asbarnacles, oysters, and tubeworms,together with soft fouling organismssuch as anemones, hydroids, andsponges are denied an environment ofnutrients in which to breed anddevelop, resulting in a zero-growthsurface finish.
...............................Dr Ow is behind the development of“fins to drive”, a specially designedapparatus, powered solely by naturalocean forces and their own buoyancywhich provides continuous rollingactions over submerged structures.The repeated up and down sweepingmotion prevents the settlement of micro fouling, and maintains the surface free of marine growth, thereby protecting offshoreinstallations.
...............................He is currently involved with the IEVGroup of Companies which holds thepatent in this unique marine growthcontrol solution for marine structures.
JURUTERA, May 200512
The mobile phone industry is one ofthe most buoyant industries in
Malaysia. Due to the fast changes in thedevelopment of mobile technology,capital expenditure on communicationservices for the local telcos is expected togrow from the current RM17 billion toRM22 billion by year-end. By 2010, thiscapital expenditure is expected to growto RM34 billion.
This growth is expected to continuefor the foreseeable future, especially withthe introduction of the 3rd Generation(3G) mobile technologies.
With this growth comes the inevitableincrease in the number of base stationsites, accompanied by public concern forpossible impacts of these communicationsystems.
This feature seeks to address suchconcerns by providing backgroundinformation on the operation of mobilecommunication systems as well astouching on aspects of health and safety.
What is a Cellular System?Mobile communication networks aredivided into geographic areas calledcells, each served by a base station(Figure 1). Mobile phones are the user’slink to the network. The system isplanned to ensure that mobile phonesmaintain the link with the network asusers move from one cell to another.
To communicate with each other,mobile phones and base stationsexchange radio signals. The level of thesesignals is carefully optimised for thenetwork to perform satisfactorily. Theyare also closely regulated to preventinterference with other radio systems
used, for example, by emergencyservices, taxis as well as radio andtelevision broadcasters.
How a Cellular System Works
Mobile PhonesWhen a mobile phone is switched on, itresponds to specific control signals fromnearby base stations. When it has foundthe nearest base station in the network towhich it subscribes, it initiates aconnection. The phone will then remaindormant, just occasionally updating withthe network, until the user wishes tomake a call or a call is received. Mobilephones use automatic power control as a means of reducing the transmittedpower to the minimum possible whilstmaintaining good call quality. Forexample, while using a phone theaverage power output can vary betweenthe minimum levels of about 0.001 wattup to the maximum level which is less than 1 watt. This feature is designedto prolong battery life and possible talk time.
Another aspect of a mobile network isthat as the user is moving while talking,the network needs to be able to pass thecall from one base station to another. Thisprocess is called a ‘handoff’ – literallywhere the network hands over the callfrom one base station to another, and it isundertaken seamlessly and without thecaller being aware of the change.
Base Station SitesTransmitted power levels from basestations vary considerably depending onthe required area or cell that they areproviding coverage for.
Typically transmitted power from anoutdoor base station may range from afew watts to about 100 watts, while theoutput power of indoor base stations iseven lower. For comparison purposes,
100 watts is equivalent to a standard lightbulb used in our homes.
A base station comprises severaldifferent components – including anequipment shelter, a tower or mast whichprovides the necessary height to givebetter coverage, and the transceivers andantennas which sit on top of the tower ormast – or in some cases are attached tothe top of buildings, where the buildingitself provides sufficient height. Theantennas are typically about 15–30 cm inwidth and up to a few metres in length,depending on the frequency of operation.
These antennas emit RadioFrequency (RF) electromagnetic energy(also called radio waves) in beams thatare typically very narrow in the verticaldirection (height), but quite broad in thehorizontal direction (width). Because ofthis, the RF energy at ground leveldirectly below the antenna is very low.
To help assure that public exposure to EM radiation remain withinestablished limits, antennas are typicallyelevated, and where necessary, fences or other means to restrict access are used
together with appropriatesignage to ensure that onlyauthorised personnel can accessthe area immediately around abase station. The consequence ofthese measures is that in areasaround base stations that areaccessible to the public, the RFlevels are typically many times
below international safety limits.There is a common misconception
that emissions are stronger directlyunder antennas which partly explainssome of the concerns about antennasplaced on schools or on residentialbuildings.
Whatever the equipment, the radiowave intensity decreases rapidly as ittravels away from the antenna. In freespace, the intensity decreases to a quarterwhen the distance is doubled. In reality,the intensity reduces much more quicklythan that due to the loss of signalstrength (also known as ‘attenuation’)that is caused by having to pass throughobstacles such as trees and buildings.
Some people have asked why basestation equipment is not always placed inindustrial areas or areas remote from
Mobile Phones – Health and Safety........................................................................................................................................................
By : R.G. Candiah
F E A T U R E
Figure 1 : Theoretical modeling of a network
Figure 2 : Signal strength is impacted by a number of factorsbut proximity to a base station is one of the most important
JURUTERA, May 200514
habitation. There are several reasons:firstly if the equipment is placed too farfrom the users it not only gives poorcommunication quality but also causesthe phones to increase their outputpower to sustain the connection, thusdecreasing battery life and talk time.Secondly, there are practical limitationsto the geographic area that a base stationcan effectively serve, especially wherethere are a high numbers of users. In thisinstance, the base stations need to becloser together to provide increasedcapacity rather than coverage, formingmicrocells, and as a result of theirproximity to one another, each basestation only needs to operate at very lowpower levels to avoid interfering withothers nearby. Therefore a properlydesigned network will optimise coverageand capacity and operate at only thelowest power levels necessary to providegood communications.
Health ConcernsRF fields are non-ionizing and do notdisrupt the molecular structure ofbiological material. The globally
recognised, independent ‘InternationalCommission on Non-Ionizing RadiationProtection’ (ICNIRP) has releasedguidelines that provide levels of RFexposure that are regarded as safe for allmembers of the community.
All established health effects of RFexposure at the frequencies used formobile communications relate to heating.So called ‘non-thermal’ effects have been,and continue to be, evaluated. To date,the view of health experts is that theliterature on non-thermal effects isinconsistent and its relevance to humanhealth too uncertain for this body ofinformation to be used as a basis forsetting limits on human exposure to RFfields.
Studies and Safety GuidelinesThe biological effects of radio frequencyelectromagnetic fields have been studiedfor more than 50 years with over C= 200million spent on research in the lastdecade alone.
The ICNIRP guidelines have beenwidely adopted internationally andturned into national safety standards.
The guidelines apply to mobile phones aswell as base station sites and incorporatewide safety margins to protect against allestablished health effects of RF exposure.There are no known adverse healtheffects at exposure levels below theseguideline levels.
There are over 1300 peer-reviewedpublications in the research databaserelating to the biological effects of RFfields. Included in these 1300 papers aremore than 350 independent, peer-reviewed studies conducted atfrequencies used by mobilecommunications. Over half of these havelooked for associations between cancerand radio waves.
Information on the various studiesundertaken in this field is available from the World Health Organisation(WHO) website: http://www.who.int/peh-emf/research/database/en/
However, the WHO in 2004 said:“In the area of biological effects andmedical applications of non-ionizingradiation approximately 25,000 articleshave been published over the past 30
F E A T U R E
JURUTERA, May 2005 15
years. Despite the feeling of some peoplethat more research needs to be done,scientific knowledge in this area is nowmore extensive than for most chemicals.Based on a recent in-depth review of the scientific literature, the WHOconcluded that current evidence does notconfirm the existence of any healthconsequences from exposure to low levelelectromagnetic fields.”
Exposure guidelines have beendeveloped by ICNIRP and are based on acareful analysis of the scientific literature(taking into account both thermal andnon-thermal effects) and provideprotection against all identified hazardsof RF exposure with large safety margins.
The views of the industry concerningthe health effects of RF exposure frommobile phones and base stations arebased upon the conclusions of manyexpert review panels established byofficial national and internationalentities. These panels have reviewed thescientific literature over the past 10 years
and have consistently concluded thatthere is no credible or convincingevidence that RF exposure from mobilephones or base stations operating withinICNIRP exposure limits causes anyadverse human health effects.
Compliance with the StandardsEven though today’s mobile phones onlyemit, on average, a maximum of a fewhundred milliwatts, they are held in closeproximity to the body and, therefore,expose the user to local levels of EMFexposure that are relatively higher thanthose from base stations.
The concept of Specific AbsorptionRate (SAR) was introduced to quantifythe amount of energy being absorbed bythe body, and to demonstrate compliancewith national and international safetystandards.
The SAR of a phone is determined byoperating the device near a model of thehead or body. The model is filled with aliquid that exhibits the electricalproperties of body tissues. A SAR probe
is operated inside the model and a 3dimensional measurement takes place todetermine the highest SAR and verifythat this is below the limit.
With respect to base station sites, thesimplest RF propagation model is the‘free-space’ model, whereby the intensitydecreases to one quarter when thedistance is doubled. As mentionedpreviously though, in reality, it dropsmuch faster than that due to loss of signalstrength caused by absorption in trees,buildings and the earth itself.
To measure the RF levels forcompliance purposes, one takes thehighest transmitted power and themaximum antenna focus, and uses bothof these to calculate the RF energy levelsat any given distance from an antenna.Generally, due to the height of antennamasts, the antenna focus and otherfactors, the RF emissions from basestation sites are lower than the ICNIRPguidelines. In areas accessible to thepublic, measurements and calculationshave found that the exposure levels to befar below international guidelines,typically by a factor of 500 or more.
Site Design ConsiderationsDuring the last decade, the design ofmobile communications equipment hasmatured rapidly, with a general trend tosmaller equipment offering equal orgreater functionality.
In Malaysia however, the antennas ofbase stations have tended to remainvisible, as radio engineers can achieveoptimum performance when antennasare mounted on high ground or the top ofbuildings, away from physicalobstruction (such as other buildings,trees, etc.)
Creative antenna and mast towerdesign is capable of significantlyreducing the visual impact of mobilecommunications infrastructureequipment. Local state governmentsneed to look into this. Examples of someof these creative solutions are shown inFigure 3.
Community ConsultationDespite the ever increasing use of mobile communications, the placing ofcommunications infrastructure equip-ment within communities or in a visiblerural location has tended to generatestrong responses.
F E A T U R E
Figure 3 : Examples of reducing the visual impact of base stations
JURUTERA, May 200512
The mobile phone industry is one ofthe most buoyant industries in
Malaysia. Due to the fast changes in thedevelopment of mobile technology,capital expenditure on communicationservices for the local telcos is expected togrow from the current RM17 billion toRM22 billion by year-end. By 2010, thiscapital expenditure is expected to growto RM34 billion.
This growth is expected to continuefor the foreseeable future, especially withthe introduction of the 3rd Generation(3G) mobile technologies.
With this growth comes the inevitableincrease in the number of base stationsites, accompanied by public concern forpossible impacts of these communicationsystems.
This feature seeks to address suchconcerns by providing backgroundinformation on the operation of mobilecommunication systems as well astouching on aspects of health and safety.
What is a Cellular System?Mobile communication networks aredivided into geographic areas calledcells, each served by a base station(Figure 1). Mobile phones are the user’slink to the network. The system isplanned to ensure that mobile phonesmaintain the link with the network asusers move from one cell to another.
To communicate with each other,mobile phones and base stationsexchange radio signals. The level of thesesignals is carefully optimised for thenetwork to perform satisfactorily. Theyare also closely regulated to preventinterference with other radio systems
used, for example, by emergencyservices, taxis as well as radio andtelevision broadcasters.
How a Cellular System Works
Mobile PhonesWhen a mobile phone is switched on, itresponds to specific control signals fromnearby base stations. When it has foundthe nearest base station in the network towhich it subscribes, it initiates aconnection. The phone will then remaindormant, just occasionally updating withthe network, until the user wishes tomake a call or a call is received. Mobilephones use automatic power control as a means of reducing the transmittedpower to the minimum possible whilstmaintaining good call quality. Forexample, while using a phone theaverage power output can vary betweenthe minimum levels of about 0.001 wattup to the maximum level which is less than 1 watt. This feature is designedto prolong battery life and possible talk time.
Another aspect of a mobile network isthat as the user is moving while talking,the network needs to be able to pass thecall from one base station to another. Thisprocess is called a ‘handoff’ – literallywhere the network hands over the callfrom one base station to another, and it isundertaken seamlessly and without thecaller being aware of the change.
Base Station SitesTransmitted power levels from basestations vary considerably depending onthe required area or cell that they areproviding coverage for.
Typically transmitted power from anoutdoor base station may range from afew watts to about 100 watts, while theoutput power of indoor base stations iseven lower. For comparison purposes,
100 watts is equivalent to a standard lightbulb used in our homes.
A base station comprises severaldifferent components – including anequipment shelter, a tower or mast whichprovides the necessary height to givebetter coverage, and the transceivers andantennas which sit on top of the tower ormast – or in some cases are attached tothe top of buildings, where the buildingitself provides sufficient height. Theantennas are typically about 15–30 cm inwidth and up to a few metres in length,depending on the frequency of operation.
These antennas emit RadioFrequency (RF) electromagnetic energy(also called radio waves) in beams thatare typically very narrow in the verticaldirection (height), but quite broad in thehorizontal direction (width). Because ofthis, the RF energy at ground leveldirectly below the antenna is very low.
To help assure that public exposure to EM radiation remain withinestablished limits, antennas are typicallyelevated, and where necessary, fences or other means to restrict access are used
together with appropriatesignage to ensure that onlyauthorised personnel can accessthe area immediately around abase station. The consequence ofthese measures is that in areasaround base stations that areaccessible to the public, the RFlevels are typically many times
below international safety limits.There is a common misconception
that emissions are stronger directlyunder antennas which partly explainssome of the concerns about antennasplaced on schools or on residentialbuildings.
Whatever the equipment, the radiowave intensity decreases rapidly as ittravels away from the antenna. In freespace, the intensity decreases to a quarterwhen the distance is doubled. In reality,the intensity reduces much more quicklythan that due to the loss of signalstrength (also known as ‘attenuation’)that is caused by having to pass throughobstacles such as trees and buildings.
Some people have asked why basestation equipment is not always placed inindustrial areas or areas remote from
Mobile Phones – Health and Safety........................................................................................................................................................
By : R.G. Candiah
F E A T U R E
Figure 1 : Theoretical modeling of a network
Figure 2 : Signal strength is impacted by a number of factorsbut proximity to a base station is one of the most important
JURUTERA, May 200514
habitation. There are several reasons:firstly if the equipment is placed too farfrom the users it not only gives poorcommunication quality but also causesthe phones to increase their outputpower to sustain the connection, thusdecreasing battery life and talk time.Secondly, there are practical limitationsto the geographic area that a base stationcan effectively serve, especially wherethere are a high numbers of users. In thisinstance, the base stations need to becloser together to provide increasedcapacity rather than coverage, formingmicrocells, and as a result of theirproximity to one another, each basestation only needs to operate at very lowpower levels to avoid interfering withothers nearby. Therefore a properlydesigned network will optimise coverageand capacity and operate at only thelowest power levels necessary to providegood communications.
Health ConcernsRF fields are non-ionizing and do notdisrupt the molecular structure ofbiological material. The globally
recognised, independent ‘InternationalCommission on Non-Ionizing RadiationProtection’ (ICNIRP) has releasedguidelines that provide levels of RFexposure that are regarded as safe for allmembers of the community.
All established health effects of RFexposure at the frequencies used formobile communications relate to heating.So called ‘non-thermal’ effects have been,and continue to be, evaluated. To date,the view of health experts is that theliterature on non-thermal effects isinconsistent and its relevance to humanhealth too uncertain for this body ofinformation to be used as a basis forsetting limits on human exposure to RFfields.
Studies and Safety GuidelinesThe biological effects of radio frequencyelectromagnetic fields have been studiedfor more than 50 years with over C= 200million spent on research in the lastdecade alone.
The ICNIRP guidelines have beenwidely adopted internationally andturned into national safety standards.
The guidelines apply to mobile phones aswell as base station sites and incorporatewide safety margins to protect against allestablished health effects of RF exposure.There are no known adverse healtheffects at exposure levels below theseguideline levels.
There are over 1300 peer-reviewedpublications in the research databaserelating to the biological effects of RFfields. Included in these 1300 papers aremore than 350 independent, peer-reviewed studies conducted atfrequencies used by mobilecommunications. Over half of these havelooked for associations between cancerand radio waves.
Information on the various studiesundertaken in this field is available from the World Health Organisation(WHO) website: http://www.who.int/peh-emf/research/database/en/
However, the WHO in 2004 said:“In the area of biological effects andmedical applications of non-ionizingradiation approximately 25,000 articleshave been published over the past 30
F E A T U R E
JURUTERA, May 2005 15
years. Despite the feeling of some peoplethat more research needs to be done,scientific knowledge in this area is nowmore extensive than for most chemicals.Based on a recent in-depth review of the scientific literature, the WHOconcluded that current evidence does notconfirm the existence of any healthconsequences from exposure to low levelelectromagnetic fields.”
Exposure guidelines have beendeveloped by ICNIRP and are based on acareful analysis of the scientific literature(taking into account both thermal andnon-thermal effects) and provideprotection against all identified hazardsof RF exposure with large safety margins.
The views of the industry concerningthe health effects of RF exposure frommobile phones and base stations arebased upon the conclusions of manyexpert review panels established byofficial national and internationalentities. These panels have reviewed thescientific literature over the past 10 years
and have consistently concluded thatthere is no credible or convincingevidence that RF exposure from mobilephones or base stations operating withinICNIRP exposure limits causes anyadverse human health effects.
Compliance with the StandardsEven though today’s mobile phones onlyemit, on average, a maximum of a fewhundred milliwatts, they are held in closeproximity to the body and, therefore,expose the user to local levels of EMFexposure that are relatively higher thanthose from base stations.
The concept of Specific AbsorptionRate (SAR) was introduced to quantifythe amount of energy being absorbed bythe body, and to demonstrate compliancewith national and international safetystandards.
The SAR of a phone is determined byoperating the device near a model of thehead or body. The model is filled with aliquid that exhibits the electricalproperties of body tissues. A SAR probe
is operated inside the model and a 3dimensional measurement takes place todetermine the highest SAR and verifythat this is below the limit.
With respect to base station sites, thesimplest RF propagation model is the‘free-space’ model, whereby the intensitydecreases to one quarter when thedistance is doubled. As mentionedpreviously though, in reality, it dropsmuch faster than that due to loss of signalstrength caused by absorption in trees,buildings and the earth itself.
To measure the RF levels forcompliance purposes, one takes thehighest transmitted power and themaximum antenna focus, and uses bothof these to calculate the RF energy levelsat any given distance from an antenna.Generally, due to the height of antennamasts, the antenna focus and otherfactors, the RF emissions from basestation sites are lower than the ICNIRPguidelines. In areas accessible to thepublic, measurements and calculationshave found that the exposure levels to befar below international guidelines,typically by a factor of 500 or more.
Site Design ConsiderationsDuring the last decade, the design ofmobile communications equipment hasmatured rapidly, with a general trend tosmaller equipment offering equal orgreater functionality.
In Malaysia however, the antennas ofbase stations have tended to remainvisible, as radio engineers can achieveoptimum performance when antennasare mounted on high ground or the top ofbuildings, away from physicalobstruction (such as other buildings,trees, etc.)
Creative antenna and mast towerdesign is capable of significantlyreducing the visual impact of mobilecommunications infrastructureequipment. Local state governmentsneed to look into this. Examples of someof these creative solutions are shown inFigure 3.
Community ConsultationDespite the ever increasing use of mobile communications, the placing ofcommunications infrastructure equip-ment within communities or in a visiblerural location has tended to generatestrong responses.
F E A T U R E
Figure 3 : Examples of reducing the visual impact of base stations
JURUTERA, May 2005 17
F E A T U R E
Predominately, concerns relate to thelandscape being spoiled, nearbyproperty values being negativelyaffected and speculation that operatingthe equipment will lead to illness.
In some areas, public feelings havebeen further heightened by real orperceived lack of consultation andfactual information.
When considering the placement ofcommunications infrastructure, it issuggested that:• Community representatives are
invited to view plans and areprovided with independent factualinformation relating to healthconcerns.
• In areas of visual sensitivity,adoption of visually appealingsolutions should be considered. It isimportant that the public is aware ofsuch installations in order to avoidconcerns that the equipment is being‘hidden’.
Sensibly designed equipmentdeployed after open consultation ismore likely to meet the demands of thepublic, operators and local authoritiesand minimise unnecessary delays andconcerns.
WLAN, Wi-Fi and HealthWireless Local Area Network (WLAN)seems to have caught on in Malaysia asseen in cafes such as Starbucks andCoffee Beans recently.
WLAN is a flexible datacommunication system implemented asan extension to, or as an alternative for,a wired network within a building.
WLAN technology is being widelyused to provide wireless internet accessin public places like airports, hotels, andshopping centres, but it is alsoincreasingly used in the home and officeto allow computers to access the internetand network without the need forcabling. To connect and communicate,WLANs use radio waves in the 2.4 and5 GHz range to transmit and receivedata over the air.
Several studies that record themeasurements of radio waves used byWLANs have been conducted by someforeign governments and by theirrespective industries. These studieshave measured radio waves fromWLANs in places where they are mostcommonly used, such as schools,bookstores, and office places. All thesestudies have shown that the radiowaves used by WLANs are substantiallybelow the required international safetylimits.
When thinking about WLANs, itshould be remembered that theproducts operate using radio waveswhich are the same radio waves that area common, though sometimesoverlooked, part of our everyday lives.Radio waves provide the benefits andenjoyment of television and radio aswell as an increasing range of mobilecommunications services.
The safety of radio waves has beenextensively studied for more than 50years. This large and growing body ofresearch has been regularly reviewed bynumerous independent scientific expertpanels, government agencies, standard-setting organisations and healthauthorities from around the world.These organisations have reached thesame general scientific conclusion thatthere is no established evidence of anyadverse health effects from exposure toradio waves when present at or belowthe recommended limits applied towireless communications systems.
WLAN products are subject to thesame standards that are applied to otherradio products used near the humanbody. The standards themselves areestablished by independent scientificorganisations, such as the InternationalCommission on Non-Ionising RadiationProtection (ICNIRP). These standardshave been widely adopted bygovernments and health agenciesaround the world, including the WorldHealth Organisation (WHO). Thestandards establish exposure limits, towhich products must comply, andinclude substantial margins of safety toprotect both users and the generalpublic.
Wi-Fi Devices All Wi-Fi wireless products are requiredto be evaluated to ensure they conformto the RF emission safety limits adoptedby agencies around the world beforebeing placed on the market. Theseevaluations are done in accordance withthe various regulations and guidelinesadopted or recommended by regulatoryagencies around the world such as theFederal Communications Commission.
The Wi-Fi Alliance (the Wi-FiAlliance is a global, non-profit industryassociation of more than 200 membercompanies devoted to promoting thegrowth of WLANs) is currentlyconducting additional studies toconfirm, in a variety of settings, that theradio wave exposures to Wi-Fi productsconsistently fall well below theinternational exposure limit. ■
JURUTERA, May 200518
F E A T U R E
Mingalarbar! This traditionalgreeting of Myanmar was the first
words that greeted the delegates ofCAFEO 22, when we were warmlywelcomed by the hosts of CAFEO 22 atYangon International Airport. From18–19 December 2004, more than threehundred engineers from 10 ASEANcountries and 8 non-ASEAN countriesgathered in Yangon, Myanmar for the22nd Conference of the ASEANFederation of Engineering Organisations(CAFEO). The conference was hosted bythe Myanmar Engineering Society (MES)at Sedona Hotel, Yangon. The MyanmarEngineering Society only became amember of the ASEAN Federation ofEngineering Organisations (AFEO) in2000 and was hosting the conference forthe first time.
Briefly, the ASEAN Federation ofEngineering Organisations (AFEO) is anon-governmental body and its membersare the national institutions ororganisations of engineers of ASEANcountries. In order to attain AFEO’spurposes and objectives such as thepromotion of goodwill, understanding,cooperation and the exchange of ideasand experiences, a conference is heldevery year, hosted in rotation by eachmember organisation.
For CAFEO 22, Malaysia wasrepresented by a 52-member delegationled by IEM President Ir. Prof. AbangAbdullah Abang Ali. The conference also
had participants from non-ASEAN countries such asAustralia, Canada, HongKong, Japan, Korea and theUnited States.
The theme of theconference was “Engineer-ing Capacity Building forASEAN Integration andGlobal Competitiveness.”According to MESPresident, Prof. Dr SeinMyint, the theme was in linewith the ASEAN Vision2020, where:• We envision our rich
human and naturalresources contributing toour development andshared prosperity.
• We commit ourselves to movingtowards closer cohesion andeconomic integration, narrowing thegap in the level of developmentamong Member Countries, ensuringthat the multilateral trading systemremains fair and open, and achievingglobal competitiveness.
The opening ceremony of CAFEO 22began with the parade of AFEO membercountries and placement of ASEANnational flags on the stage, followed byan engaging cultural dance, with eachdancer costumed in the various ASEANcountries’ national costumes. Following
tradition, the AFEO DistinguishedHonorary Fellow Awards were conferredduring the opening ceremony, with theabsentee recipients being ex-IndonesianPresident B.J. Habibie and ex-PhilippinePresident Fidel Ramos. The final AFEODistinguished Honorary Fellow wasconferred on the Prime Minister of theUnion of Myanmar, H.E. Lt-General SoeWin, who officially opened theconference after his keynote address.
During the 2-day conference, paralleltechnical paper presentations were alsoheld in the hotel. A total of 134 paperswere presented on the following topics:Engineering Capacity Building, HumanResources Development, ASEAN
22nd Conference of the ASEAN Federation ofEngineering Organisations (CAFEO).....................................................................................................................................................................................................................
By: Sdri. Kee Wai Fun and Sdr. Ngeow Yen Wan
Ir. Prof. Abang Abdullah Abang Ali, President of IEM during theParade of AFEO Member Countries at the Open Ceremony
Cultural Dance with Costumes Representing ASEAN Countries AFEO-22 Delegates from ASEAN Countries
JURUTERA, May 200522
F E A T U R E
Integration, Energy and InfrastructureDevelopment, Attaining SustainableEconomic Growth and GeneralEngineering.
The Young Engineers of the ASEANFederation of Engineering (YEAFEO)Conference was held concurrently. It wasattended by delegates from Myanmar,Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei,Cambodia and Thailand, along withobservers from Hong Kong and Japan.Each of the respective countries gave abrief introduction on their activities.Among the main issues discussed duringthis conference were strategic plans toenhance communication betweenYEAFEO members, formation of apermanent secretariat for YEAFEO andexchange programs between countries.After the conference, special visits weremade by Myanmar’s young engineers toenhance friendship between the YEAFEOdelegates, including a visit to MyanmarChina Town to try their local food andsee the famous ShweDagon pagoda.
The closing ceremony on the secondday was officiated by Prof. Dr SeinMyint. The AFEO Flag was officiallyhanded over by him as the outgoingAFEO chairman to the incoming AFEOChairman, Mr. Khampong Phanvongsa,President of Lao Union of Science andEngineering Association. This wasfurther followed by exchange of gifts between all the ASEAN delegatesbefore the CAFEO-22 conference wasofficially ended.
Myanmar – “The Golden Land”Myanmar is the name which has longbeen used by its people to describe their
homeland which the Britishcalled Burma. It is alsoknown as the Golden Landnot only for its GoldenPagodas, but for its rich landand the wealth of itsagriculture and preciousminerals. Geographically,Myanmar is the largestcountry in the South-EastAsian Peninsula, sharingborders with Bangladesh,India, China, Laos andThailand. It has a total landarea of 676,557 squarekilometers and is roughlytwice the size of Malaysia(which includes the landareas of Sabah and Sarawak.)
The climate of Myanmaris dominated by a tropicalclimate with three generalseasons. The rainy season isfrom mid-May to mid-October, the cool season(winter) is from mid-Octoberto mid-February and the hotseason (summer) is frommid-February to mid-May.The best time to visitMyanmar is during the coolseason, which is fromNovember to February.
Many CAFEO delegatestook the opportunity to enjoysome city sightseeing as most have neverset foot in Myanmar. Special tourpackages were arranged for delegatesthat arrived earlier. Tour packages
for delegates’ spouseswere arranged as well. Some of the citysights includes theS h w e t h a l y a u n g , one of the world’s most beautiful recliningBuddhas, as well as theShwemawdaw Pagoda,one of the mostvenerated pagodas inMyanmar. For bargainhunters, souvenirs were aplenty at theScotts’ Market, withmost delegates wishingthey had more time to shop!
According to ourtour guide at theNational Races
Village in Yangon, the Myanmar peoplecome from more than 100 different races,with the main race being the Bamar,Kayin, Mon, Rakhine, Kachin, Chin, Shanand Kayah races. Due to the diversity ofits people, the country celebrates morethan 30 festivals, with a public holidayoccurring almost twice monthly.
The People of MyanmarThis story would not be complete ifmention is not made of the warmth andcharm of the people of Myanmar. Theorganizers of CAFEO-22 had recruitedmany English-speaking young engineervolunteers for the conference, whosewarm hospitality never failed to touchour hearts. From the time we arrived atthe airport till the time we departed, wewere constantly amazed and touched bytheir sincerity and courtesy. Thus, theauthors would like to thank these youngvolunteers for making their visit toCAFEO-22 and YEAFEO-11 such anunforgettable experience. ■Malaysian Delegates to CAFEO-22, Myanmar
AFEO Flag Hand Over Ceremony by Outgoing AFEO ChairmanProf. Dr Sein to incoming AFEO Chairman Mr. Khampong
Exchanging Gifts Between Delegates During the ClosingCeremony
