Abstract:

The status of an engineer is probably higher than that of a doctor in a developing country. This is because the engineer shapes and transforms the country into a modern and comfortable place while the doctor is caught up with improving the life expectancy of the nation, an important cause nevertheless but not as impactful.  Naturally, many talented young minds would ride the wave of development and earn the accolades in building the nation would take up engineering.  The government absorbed most of the talented engineers, forming PWD/JKR to improve the infrastructures and government buildings, DID/JPT on the drainage and irrigation to support the agriculture industry and CEB/LLN/TNB to build dams and power stations to energize the country.  It is therefore not surprising that the good engineering works started with these agencies.  As the earlier major infrastructural projects were funded by developed countries, very few local consultancy firms were accredited to undertake such works. Undoubtedly, the older big consultancy firms that are still operating today were the privileged engineering stalwarts of old. The need for north south connectivity had led to the North South Highway, a major milestone in the engineering design and construction at least to my mind and era.  Around the same period, the demand for power and the frequent power outages caused by the rapid pace of industrialization in the country.  This led to privation of power producers and construction of power plants (gas, coal and hydro power plants). The use marginal coastal land to establish the thermal power stations were ideal in terms of space requirements, logistics and water resource and reclamation becomes almost a norm for such sites.  The influx of people into the city, particularly, Klang Valley seeking employment led to rapid development in high rise office space, accommodations and the need of an efficient transportation systems and road networks. This have led to many privatized toll roads and highways and the emergence of the light rail, commuter, monorail and more recently, the Mass Rapid Transit.  It would not be fair if no mention is made to the electrification double track project from Padang Besar to Johor Bahru to provide the important “balik kampung” alternative during festive seasons and weekend trips. This talk presents how the speaker have benefited as a geotechnical engineer from this period and what could be the emerging trends and how it may affect the development of the younger generations of engineers. (Note: The speaker would like to stress that the above views are solely his personal perceptions and conclusions and many may not share the same feelings and perceptions. Nevertheless, the speaker hopes that it would be useful food for thought).
  

Profile of Speaker:

Ir Dr OOI Lean Hock graduated with PhD from University of Sydney, Australia. In the past, he has worked as a geotechnical consultant and a specialist contractor. He is currently the lead geotechnical engineer in the Design and Technical Department of MMC GAMUDA KVMRT (T) Sdn BHd for the second line of Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit from Sg Buloh- Serdang- PutraJaya (SSP) line. He has extensive experience in ground treatment works, more recently in deep excavation and tunneling works. He also has a keen interest in geotechnical instrumentation and testing. He has been involved in many interesting infrastructural projects such as railways, runways, highways, tunnels and hydropower both locally and abroad.


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