Masing leads Sarawak delegation to visit Australia’s key engineering firm Aecom

KUCHING: Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing, who is also the state’s Infrastructure Development and Transportation Minister, led a 17-member Sarawak delegation for a visit to an engineering and consultancy firm Aecom in Australia on Monday.

The visitors were briefed on matters related to port master-planning, dredging and infrastructure development through environmentally-sensitive areas.

The briefing was conducted by Aecom managing director (civil and infrastructure division) Andrew Caruthers.

According to a press statement issued by the Minister of Infrastructure Development and Transportation on Monday, Masing was very impressed with Aecom which presented case studies of projects in Melbourne and how meticulous planning and stakeholders’ consultation were taken into the planning and development of port and road projects, especially in areas that were environmentally sensitive such as Ramsar (wetland) sites, migratory bird habitats and also areas with native flora and fauna.

“Amongst the projects highlighted by Aecom were the channel dredging of Port Phillip Bay, future development of Port of Hastings and the development of Peninsula Link Road. Also highlighted were the challenges faced by the firm, the approaches taken and the best practices it has adopted by benchmarking against other international standards. These case studies undertaken by Aecom are all sited in the Australian state of Victoria,” said the press statement.

Assistant Minister of Coastal Road Datuk Julaihi Narawi, Assistant Minister of Transportation Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, Infrastructure Development and Transportation Ministry permanent secretary Safri Zainudin, Kuching Port Authority ( KPA) chairman Dato Awang Bemee Pengiran Ali Basah and KPA general manager Robert Lau Hong Thian were among the Sarawak delegates.

Aecom is a leading engineering firm specialising in various engineering consultancy services, with a workforce strength of 95,000 worldwide.

Masing (front, seventh right) presents a memento to Caruthers, as other Sarawak delegates look on. Also seen are Dr Jerip on Caruthers’ left, and Julaihi on Masing’s right.