Amended Quantity Surveyors Act 2014 to be enforced soon

PETALING JAYA: The amended Quantity Surveyors (QS) Act 2014 will be enforced soon and have a game-changer effect on the transformation of the QS profession by making it more competitive and resilient, says Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.

He said the abolishment of citizenship requirements would enable foreign QS to register with the Board of Quantity Surveyors Malaysia (BQSM) and practice as “nationals” here.

“Similarly, it will also provide numerous opportunities for Malaysian QS to demonstrate their skills in the international market, especially in emerging economies on an equal footing,” he said in his speech at the 17th International Surveyors’ Congress here yesterday.

Themed, “Integrating for Excellence”, the event was organised by the Royal Institution of Surveyors Malaysia which currently has more than 8,000 members.

Fadillah said by being competitive and in the league of the best, Malaysia can become a global “education hub” in providing the best professional education for the industry.

He said the amended Quantity Surveyors’ Act further expanded the scope of the QS industry professionals with the registration of QS technologist and other non-core QS degree graduates into the profession thus making the industry more vibrant and diversified.

He also said in the view of the unprecedented floods and most recently the earthquake in Sabah, industry players must take cognizance of the fact that the extreme climatic changes and natural catastrophes are disrupting the quality of life and well-being.

“To mitigate these environmental challenges we must focus and emphasise on sustainable construction excellence in ensuring that our buildings and dwellings will be able to withstand these calamities by complying with international standards such as the Euro-Code on Design of Structures for Earthquake Resistance and the US Structural and Seismic International Building Code,” said Fadillah.

He added that the government is fully supportive of RISM’s efforts in playing the lead role in spearheading the use of building information modeling in the industry. — Bernama