A Leader's Note

Happy New Year! Hope it’s not too late if I would like to wish a happy new year since we still in January 2011. As December 2010, a complete six months, I am in chairman post in IEM Young Engineers Section. I took a challenge from my immediate past chairman, Engr. Roland Ngeow Yen Wan to lead this growing member’s society and can be announce as largest members professional bodies society in Malaysia. I would like to thank Engr. Roland Ngeow as shown a valuable contribution to IEM YES, good leadership and example for all committee and volunteers.

My involvements in IEM YES from 2008 until now are under 2 chairmanships which are Ir. Yau Chau Fong and Engr. Roland Ngeow Yen Wan. Both of them had given an overview of opportunities to develop and widen the network to all entire engineers in Malaysia and ASEAN. Both of them also had frequently become my supporter and advisor in handling section with 9,187 graduate and 8,132 students’ members (as for December 2010).

In last AGM which held in 19 Jun 2010, we had moved towards 40^th AGM. With 28^th June 1970 as stated as our first AGM, IEM YES (formerly known as IEM G&S) has moving towards to serve more to members. As growing of IEM, IEM YES now becomes more and more important as a part of IEM core activities. Most of the committee now get involves with membership drive sub-committee, IEM Family Day sub-committee others sub-community which is IEM itself need a young mover to make all this event happen.

A flashback on how I got to know of IEM YES, I was in Bukit Tinggi as student’s participant in Engineering Interactive Gathering (EIG) in 2006. It was great experience because it was first ever I heard about an institution related to the engineering profession. Starting from January 2008, I have been part of IEM YES, enjoying the activities until now.

People always asked me, what I get from joining IEM YES? I gained lots of exposure when it’s come to being in contact with lots of people. IEM YES gives me the best network linkage for my area of expertise (Highway and Transportation Engineering). I already have a researcher contacts from Penang, Sarawak, Singapore, Thailand and Japan, who are in same field as me. As in IEM YES I have also been given an opportunity to become a YES representative in the Highway and Transportation Technical Division. Again it’s give a platform to know more people in my area. As part of IEM YES committee we also allowed to join Standing Committee in IEM. Lots of experience gain while I having a meeting in the standing committee. Dealing and hear senior response in the meeting give some an idea and clue to me how to handle an issues with a proper manner. As a chairman of young engineers section, I also invited to join council meeting with full of fellow and senior members. Good experience and good exposure to me as young academician engineer.

In IEM YES, I am also proud to contribute to the community services program. With a motto Young Engineers with hearts, We Love, We Care, I had involve in A Day Trip to Zoo with Pondok Penyayang Raudah, Chinese New Year Celebration with House of joy, A Christmas Cinema Day with House of joy and Channeling natural water resources to Pondok Penyayang Raudah. With these entire community projects give me a satisfied to myself to serve back to society.

I would like to call all passion and eager to learn young engineers and engineering students to serves as committee, co-opted members and volunteers in IEM YES. IEM YES now has 6 portfolios namely Professional Development, Graduate Affairs, Students Affairs, External Affairs, Publicity and Social & Community. All activities had been plan and organized according to these portfolios to all members and also as a platform to your engineers to become as organizer. In National level, IEM YES also involved with others branches activities and one a year IEM YES National Summit will be organized to provide a discussion and changing opinion opportunities to all young engineers in all branches. IEM YES also actively involved in Young Engineers ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organization (YEAFEO) in ASEAN region and a meeting of YEAFEO organized by ASEAN countries.

In IEM YES, all activities are open to all members and also open to all young engineers to become the main organizers or as volunteers to supports the events. With the huge numbers of members, the challenge and opportunity is there, as the young engineers to involve in this non-profit organization. To lead a big project or to volunteers as supporters in part of the project, it’s open to all young engineers and engineering students. Managing and organizing events for about 15,000 members give a big opportunity and challenge that can’t be receive from others organization or company at the young age.

Engr. Shuhairy Norhisham

Chairman

Young Engineers Section (Graduate and Students)

The Institution of Engineers Malaysia