ENGINEERING ETHICS

IR DR MOHD NORDIN ADLAN, PMP

Dip. Civ. Eng., BSc (civil), MSc (Water & Waste
Eng.), PhD, FIEM, PEng.(Msia).

ENGINEERS

Engineers work to develop economical and safe

solutions to practical problems, by applying
mathematics and scientific knowledge while
considering technical constraints.[1] [2] The term
is derived from the Latin root "ingenium,"
meaning "cleverness".[3] The industrial revolution
and continuing technological developments of the
last few centuries have changed the connotation
of the term slightly, resulting in the perception of
engineers as applied scientists. The work of
engineers is the link between perceived needs of
society and commercial applications.

REGULATION
In Continental Europe and Latin America and
also in Turkey, the title is limited by law to
people with an engineering degree, and the use of
the title by others (even persons with much more
work experience) is illegal.
In Italy the title is limited to people who, besides
holding an engineering degree, have passed a
professional qualification examination (Esame di
Stato).
In Portugal, professional engineer titles and
accredited engineering degrees are regulated and
certified by the Ordem dos Engenheiros.

In the Czech Republic the title "engineer" (Ing.) is

given to people with a (master) degree in
chemistry, technology or even economics (due to
historical reasons and tradition).
In Greece the academic title of "Diploma
Engineer" is awarded after completion of the five
year engineering study course and the title of
"Certified Engineer" is awarded to those that
have completed the four year course of
engineering studies at a Technological
Educational Institute (TEI).

Laws exist in the U.S., in Canada and in South

Africa that limit the use of specific engineer
titles, particularly the title of "Professional
Engineer.
However, most engineers in the U.S. do not
become professional engineers.
Titles indicating a specific, regulated branch of
engineering, such as "civil engineer" or
"mechanical engineer" are also regulated.
Most U.S. states prohibit unlicensed persons
from calling themselves an "engineer" or
indicating branches or specialties not covered by
the licensing acts.

The IEEE's formal position :

"The title, Engineer, and its derivatives should be
reserved for those individuals whose education
and experience qualify them to practice in a
manner that protects public safety. Strict use of
the title serves the interest of both the IEEEUSA and the public by providing a recognized
designation by which those qualified to practice
engineering may be identified. The education and
experience needed for the title, Engineer, is
evidenced by:

Graduation with an Engineering degree from an

ABET/EAC accredited program of engineering (or
equivalent*), coupled with sufficient experience in the
field in which the term, Engineer, is used; and/or
Licensure by any jurisdiction as a Professional
Engineer.
A degree from a foreign institution (or the total
education when one person holds a graduate degree
in engineering but no accredited B.S. in engineering)
can be evaluated through a service offered by ABET.
Despite these laws, many individuals with no formal
education in engineering are still often called
engineers because of a history of engineering work.
Because Canada regulates the use of the titles
"engineer" and "engineering" in law the legal
situation regarding the use title of "engineer" in
Canada is aggressively enforced.

ENGINEERS MUST HAVE THE SKILL SET AND

METHODOLOGY TO PROBLEM SOLVE, INCLUDING
SOFT SKILLS.

Self motivated.
Enthusiasm to learn about emerging technologies,
hardware, software and applications.
Logical approach to problem solving and
troubleshooting.
Detail oriented.
Quick thinking.
Calm under high pressure situations.
Good oral skills.
Leadership skills - organizing and motivating a group
of engineers.
Drawing skills - to draw graphical workflow diagrams
or CAD schematic drawings.
Training and mentoring skills - To train and mentor
junior or fellow engineers or operational staff.

ETHICS
Ethics (also known as moral philosophy) is a
branch of philosophy which seeks to address
questions about morality; that is, about concepts
like good and bad, right and wrong, justice,
virtue, etc.
Major branches of ethics :
meta-ethics, about the theoretical meaning and
reference of moral propositions and how their
truth-values (if any) may be determined;
normative ethics, about the practical means of
determining a moral course of action;
applied ethics, about how moral outcomes can be
achieved in specific situations;

moral psychology, about how moral capacity or

moral agency develops and what its nature is;
and
descriptive ethics, about what moral values
people actually abide by.
Within each of these branches are many different
schools of thought and still further sub-fields of
study.
Morality (from the Latin moralitas "manner,
character, proper behavior") has three principal
meanings.
morality means a code of conduct
morality refers to an ideal code of belief and
conduct
morality is synonymous with ethics.

Virtue (Latin virtus; Greek ) is moral

excellence. A virtue is a character trait or
quality valued as being good.
Individual virtues can be grouped into one of
four categories of values:
1. Ethics (virtue - vice, good - bad, moral immoral - amoral, right - wrong, permissible impermissible)
2. Aesthetics (beautiful, ugly, unbalanced,
pleasing)
3. Doctrinal (political, ideological, religious or
social beliefs and values)
4. Innate/Inborn (inborn values such as
reproduction and survival)

The four classic Western Cardinal virtues are:

temperance: (sphrosyn)
prudence: (phronsis)
fortitude: (andreia)
justice: (dikaiosyn)
This enumeration is traced to Greek philosophy,
and was listed at least by Plato, if not also by
Socrates, from whom no attributable written
works exist. Plato also mentions "Holiness".
Aristotle defined a virtue as a balance point
between a deficiency and an excess of a trait.

ROMAN VIRTUES
Auctoritas "Spiritual Authority" The sense
of one's social standing, built up through
experience, Pietas, and Industria.
Comitas "Humour" Ease of manner,
courtesy, openness, and friendliness.
Constantia "Perseverance" Military
stamina, mental and physical endurance.
Clementia "Mercy" Mildness and
gentleness.
Dignitas "Dignity" A sense of self-worth,
personal pride.
Disciplina "Discipline" Military oath under
Roman protective law & citizenship.

Firmitas "Tenacity" Strength of mind, the

ability to stick to one's purpose.
Frugalitas "Frugality" Economy and
simplicity of style, without being miserly.
Gravitas "Gravity" A sense of the
importance of the matter at hand, responsibility
and earnestness.
Honestas "Respectability" The image that
one presents as a respectable member of society.
Humanitas "Humanity" Refinement,
civilization, learning, and being cultured.
Industria "Industriousness" Hard work.

The Jewish tradition

In the Jewish tradition God is the
Compassionate. in Biblical Hebrew, ("riam,"
from "reem," the mother, womb), "to pity" or "to
show mercy" in view of the sufferer's
helplessness, hence also "to forgive" (Hab. iii. 2); ,
"to forbear" (Ex. ii. 6; I Sam. xv. 3; Jer. xv. 15,
xxi. 7.)
The Christian tradition
There are many listings of virtue additional to
the traditional Christian virtues (faith, hope and
love) in the Christian Bible. One is the "Fruit of
the Spirit," found in Galatians 5:22-23: "By
contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control. There is no law
against such things."

The Muslim tradition

In the Muslim tradition the Qur'an is, as the
word of God, the great repository of all virtue in
earthly form, and the Prophet, particularly via
his hadiths or reported sayings, the exemplar of
virtue in human form.
The Muslim virtues are: prayer, repentance,
honesty, loyalty, sincerity, frugality, prudence,
moderation, self-restraint, discipline,
perseverance, patience, hope, dignity, courage,
justice, tolerance, wisdom, good speech, respect,
purity, courtesy, kindness, gratitude, generosity,
contentment, and others.

HINDU VIRTUES
Hinduism, or Sanatana Dharma (Dharma means
moral duty), has pivotal virtues that everyone
keeping their Dharma is asked to follow. For they
are distinct qualities of manusya (mankind), that
allow one to be in the mode of goodness.
Altruism: Selfless Service to all humanity
Restraint and Moderation: This is having
restraint and moderation in all things. Sexual
relations, eating, and other pleasurable activities
should be kept in moderation

Honesty:
Cleanliness: Outer cleaniness is to be cultivated
for good health and hygiene, inner cleaniness is
cultivated through devotion to god,
Protection and reverence for the Earth.
Universality: Showing tolerance and respect for
everyone, everything and the way of the
Universe.
Peace: One must cultivate a peaceful manner in
order to benefit themselves and those around
them.
Non-Violence/Ahimsa:
Reverence for elders and teachers: This is virtue
is very important to learn respect and reverence
for those who have wisdom and those who
selflessly teach in love.

Iustitia "Justice" Sense of moral worth to

an action.
Pietas "Dutifulness" More than religious
piety; a respect for the natural order socially,
politically, and religiously. Includes the ideas of
patriotism and devotion to others.
Prudentia "Prudence" Foresight, wisdom,
and personal discretion.
Salubritas "Wholesomeness" Health and
cleanliness.
Severitas "Sternness" Gravity, self-control.
Veritas "Truthfulness" Honesty in dealing
with others.
Virtus - "Manliness" - Valor, excellence, courage,
character, and worth. Vir meaning "man".

THE BUDDHIST TRADITION

Right View - Realizing the Four Noble Truths (samyag-di,

samm-dihi)
Right Intention - Commitment to mental and ethical growth in
moderation (samyak-sakalpa, samm-sakappa)
Right Speech - One speaks in a non hurtful, not exaggerated,
truthful way (samyag-vc, samm-vc)
Right Action - Wholesome action, avoiding action that would
do harm (samyak-karmnta, samm-kammanta)
Right Livelihood - One's job does not harm in any way oneself
or others; directly or indirectly (samyag-jva, sammjva)
Right Effort - One makes an effort to improve (samyagvyyma, samm-vyma)
Right Mindfulness - Mental ability to see things for what they
are with clear consciousness (samyak-smti, samm-sati)
Right Concentration - Wholesome one-pointedness of mind
(samyak-samdhi, samm-samdhi)

WHAT IS CIVIL ENGINEERING?

Civil Engineering is all about creating,
improving and protecting the environment
in which we live. It provides the facilities for dayto-day life and for transport and industry to go
about its work.
Civil engineers design and build bridges, roads,
railways and tunnels. They also design and build
tall buildings and large structures, like Wembley
Stadium, so that they can last for hundreds of
years and can withstand all weather conditions.

Like the Romans, Egyptians and Mayans who

built great civilisations before us, our civilisation
relies more than ever on teams of inventive
people to design, build and maintain the
sophisticated environment that surrounds us.
Without civil engineers we wouldnt have a
constant supply of clean water, roads or trains to
get to work in the morning, or sustainable energy
to help us save our planet.

ROYAL CHARTER, BY-LAWS, REGULATIONS

AND RULES

The Royal Charter, By-laws, Regulations and

Rules together form the suite of documentation
for the governance of ICE. The Royal Charter
sets out the object and role of the
Institution, outlines the governance structure,
and permits the ICE to make the By-laws,
Regulations, and Rules to provide the detailed
implementation instructions. The Charter also
lists the membership grades, and authorises the
use of post nominal letters by members.

Members of the Institution throughout the

world, are bound by the ICE's Code of
Professional Conduct. This ensures that all
members observe the highest standards of ethics
and professionalism.
ICE members who breach the Code of
Professional Conduct lay themselves open to
disciplinary action by ICE.
ICE also provides additional, separate advice to
its members on broader ethical issues in its
Advice on Ethical Conduct. All ICE members
must act according to the Code of Professional
Conduct, but they do not have to follow the
Advice on Ethical Conduct, except for those
sections dealing with bribery and corruption

ICE CODE OF PROFESSIONAL

CONDUCT
The purpose of the Code of Professional
Conduct:
The ICE has provided a Code of Professional
Conduct to lay down, both for its members and
for the general public, the ethical standards by
which its members should abide.
The duty to behave ethically:
The duty upon members of the ICE to behave
ethically is, in effect, the duty to behave
honourably; in modern words, to do the right
thing.

it means that members should be truthful and

honest in dealings with clients, colleagues, other
professionals, and anyone else they come into
contact with in the course of their duties.
Being a member of the ICE is a badge of probity
and good faith, and members should do nothing
that in any way could diminish the high standing
of the profession.
This includes any aspect of a members personal
conduct which could have a negative impact upon
the profession.

The public good includes care and respect for

humanitys cultural, historical and archaeological
heritage, in addition to the duties specified in the
Rules of Professional Conduct to protect the
health and well being of present and future
generations and to show due regard for the
environment and for the sustainable
management of natural resources.

THE RULES OF PROFESSIONAL

CONDUCT
1. All members shall discharge their
professional duties with integrity.
2. All members shall only undertake work
that they are competent to do.
3. All members shall have full regard for the
public interest, particularly in relation to
matters of health and safety, and in relation
to the well-being of future generations.
4. All members shall show due regard for
the environment and for the sustainable
management of natural resources.

5. All members shall develop their

professional knowledge, skills and
competence on a continuing basis and shall
give all reasonable assistance to further the
education, training and continuing
professional development of others.
6. All members shall:
a. notify the Institution if convicted of a
criminal offence;
b. notify the Institution upon becoming
bankrupt or disqualified as a Company
Director;
c. notify the Institution of any significant
breach of the Rules of Professional Conduct
by another member.

GUIDANCE NOTES ON THE

INTERPRETATION AND
APPLICATION OF THE RULES OF
PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

1.
2.
3.

Rule 1: All members shall discharge their professional

duties with integrity.
The manner in which members could breach
this Rule might include the following:
Failing to carry out their professional duties with
complete objectivity and impartiality.
Failing to declare conflicts of interest.
Failing to have due regard to their duty of
confidence in relation to all parties with whom they
have dealings as part of their professional duties.

4.

5.

6.

Failing to have due regard to their duty of care

to clients, especially lay clients in domestic or
small works engagements.
Failing to put terms of the engagement in
writing and failing to state the fees to be
charged; whenever practicable, these should be
issued to the client before the project is begun.
Members who do not carry appropriate
insurance, either personally or through their
employers, failing to advise their clients of the
position before accepting the engagement.
Members should take all reasonable steps to
ensure that their prospective clients understand
the extent to which they are covered by
appropriate insurance.

Failing to show due consideration for

other colleagues and for other persons
with whom they have dealings in the
course of their professional duties.
Members must treat all persons without
bias and with respect:
a) Members must not, directly or indirectly,
improperly attempt to supplant another person,
and should take all reasonable steps to establish
that any previous engagement in relation to the
project they are to enter into has been
terminated.
b) When commenting on another persons work,
members must advise that person of their
involvement, except for routine or statutory
checks or where the members client or employer
requires confidentiality.
7.

8.

c) When competing with another person, and

when taking actions likely to adversely affect the
professional, business or other interests of
another person, members must not act
maliciously or recklessly.
Members who are responsible for the work of
others or who have a management
responsibility for other persons failing to take
responsibility for the work produced. Members
should ensure that they have the knowledge
and expertise to effectively oversee the work for
which they are accountable.

9.

10.

Having any form of involvement, whether direct

or indirect, and whether for the benefit of the
member, the members employer, or a third
party, in bribery, extortion, fraud, deception,
collusion or any other corrupt activity. Members
should be especially rigorous when operating in
countries where the offering and accepting of
inducements and favours, or the inflation and
falsification of claims, is endemic.
Members failing to report in accordance with
their employing organisations instructions or
code of conduct what they know of any corrupt
activity in projects in which they or their
employing organisation have become engaged.

11.

12.

Members who are senior managers or senior officers

in an organisation failing to properly investigate any
suspicion of corruption of which they become aware
and for which their organisation may be responsible,
or in any other way failing to act with reasonable
care in relation to evidence of such corruption.
Members who are UK citizens or who work for UK
registered companies should be aware that bribery
committed anywhere in the world by a UK citizen or
a UK registered company is a criminal offence both
in the UK and in the country in which the offence is
committed. The maximum penalty in the UK for
bribery is an unlimited fine and/or imprisonment for
seven years. For more information, members should
refer to the FCO/DTI leaflet UK Bribery and
Corruption Law which is displayed on the ICE
website

Being guilty of any form of plagiarism.

Plagiarism is using the work of others
but presenting it without permission,
acknowledgement or reference as if it
were the persons original work, e.g.
copying electronically by cut and paste
from the source document. It will include
the use of such material as written text,
statistics or similar data, diagrams or
illustrations, and photographs.
13.

Examples of where plagiarism might occur are as

follows: reports and publications of any kind
including articles and books; and course work or
answers in examination papers submitted for
academic or professional qualifications. This will
include the use of model reports, and model
answers to examination questions, where text is
copied and used verbatim or with minor
alteration. In some circumstances plagiarism
might constitute criminal deception, thus
rendering the guilty person liable to prosecution
and a criminal conviction, and, in the case of
published works, civil action for damages where
copyright law has been breached.

14.

15.

Colluding with any form of plagiarism, or failing

to exercise reasonable care in relation to
evidence of any form of plagiarism.
Making untrue or misleading statements in job
applications, Curricula Vitae, applications for
admission to any grade of ICE membership or
grade of membership of any other professional
body, and applications for admission to any
academic body or institution or for any course of
study. In some circumstances this might
constitute criminal deception, thus rendering
the guilty person liable to prosecution and a
criminal conviction .

16.

Colluding with, or failing to exercise reasonable

care in relation to any form of untrue or
misleading job application, or any application
for admission to any grade of ICE membership
or grade of membership of any other
professional body, e.g. when acting as a sponsor
or referee. References should only be given
where the referee is sufficiently familiar with
the person to be able to vouch for them
authoritatively. To provide a reference where
this is not the case, or which is in any way
untruthful or misleading, will breach this Rule .

17.

When acting as expert witnesses, failing to

ensure that the testimony they give is both
independent and impartial. In such a role,
members must be mindful that their prime duty
is to the Court or Tribunal, not to the client who
engaged them to give evidence, and they should
not give any professional opinion that does not
accurately reflect their honest professional
judgement or belief. To do otherwise would not
only place members in danger of perjury but
would clearly breach the requirement in the
Rules of Professional Conduct to discharge their
professional duties with integrity

RULE 2: ALL MEMBERS SHALL ONLY

UNDERTAKE WORK THAT THEY ARE COMPETENT

TO DO

Members should be competent in relation to

every project that they undertake. They should
ensure that, having regard to the nature and
extent of their involvement in a project, they
have the relevant knowledge and expertise.
Where appropriate, this may include access to
the knowledge and experience of others, or access
to other relevant sources of knowledge, in
addition to the members own knowledge and
experience. In so doing, they should pay due
regard to the laws on copyright and other rights
of intellectual property. They must disclose,
where appropriate, any relevant limitations upon
their competence

RULE 3: ALL MEMBERS SHALL HAVE FULL

REGARD FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST,

PARTICULARLY IN RELATION TO MATTERS OF

HEALTH AND SAFETY, AND IN RELATION TO THE

WELL-BEING OF FUTURE GENERATIONS.

The manner in which members could breach this Rule

might include the following:
Failing to take all reasonable steps to protect the
health and safety of members of the public and of
those engaged in the project, during construction and
the operation and maintenance stages. Reasonable
steps will include obeying all legislation relating to
health and safety but may extend beyond that to all
situations in which there is inadequate statutory
provision. Members must not enter into any contracts
which compromise this overall responsibility.

Where new or under-tested materials or methods

are being used, failing to pay a reasonable level
of attention to the public safety implications, and
failing to have regard to the possibility that
performance of the materials or methods may be
worse than forecast. The use of such materials or
methods and the risks involved must be drawn
specifically to the clients notice .
Other matters relating to this Rule would
include:
Producing competitive bids should not result in
the inappropriate exposure to hazard of any
person at any time. Members have a duty, as far
as is reasonable, to keep abreast of emerging
hazards, and to inform interested parties
accordingly .

Members must take all reasonable steps to avoid

preventable disasters and should act in accordance
with relevant good practice; for example, for UKbased members this will be the Royal Academy of
Engineering Guidelines for Warnings of Preventable
Disasters. If members are in any doubt about the
action they should take, they should seek the advice
of the Institution .
Members should take account of the broader public
interest - the interests of all stakeholders in any
project must be taken properly into account, including
the impact on future generations. This must include
regard for the impact upon the society and quality of
life of affected individuals, groups or communities,
and upon their cultural, archaeological and ethnic
heritage, and the broader interests of humanity as a
whole.

RULE 5: ALL MEMBERS SHALL DEVELOP THEIR

PROFESSIONAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND

COMPETENCE ON A CONTINUING BASIS AND

SHALL GIVE ALL REASONABLE ASSISTANCE TO

FURTHER THE EDUCATION, TRAINING AND

CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF

OTHERS.

All members have a duty to improve and update

technical knowledge, and to keep abreast of
relevant developments, including new or changed
statutory provisions .
Every member has a duty to be pro-active in the
training and continuing professional
development of others, especially those for whom
the member has line management responsibility

INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERS, MALAYSIA

BANGUNAN INGENIEUR,
LOTS 60 & 62, JALAN 52/4,
P.O. BOX 223 (JALAN SULTAN)
46720 PETALING JAYA,
MALAYSIA
603-7684001/2
603-7577678

HISTORY OF IEM
The story of the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM) begins with the
nation's independence. The Institution, born exactly 20 months after
Merdeka - on May 1, 1959 - has had a marked influence on the engineering
profession in the country.
Back in 1951, the Building By-laws stated that only those who were
registered under the Architects Ordinance 1951, could submit plans to the
Local Authorities, but engineers are not allowed to submit building plan.
They are only allowed if they registered under Part II of the Architects
Ordinance, but this created unsatisfactory feeling. There was a strong need
for an Institution to cater the interest of engineers.
From 1951-59, the activities of engineers were organised under the joint
group of ICE\I Mech E\IEE. The Institution of Engineers was formed in1959
with the objective of advancing the engineering profession. In order to unite
all engineers in the country, the Institution has been working towards the
registration of engineers since its establishment. In 1967, the Engineers
Act was passed with the provision that to register as a Professional
Engineer, one must first be a Corporate Member of the Institution.

HISTORY OF IEM
History of the Institution
At first, to be granted admission to Corporate Membership, one needs only to
have five years working experience as an Engineer regardless of what
capacity. Later, the Constitution was amended and Professional Interview was
introduced. This was to ensure that only engineers having the relevant
experience would be admitted to Corporate Membership and could register as
a Professional Engineer.
It has grown and matured with the nation and its people. It started out with
only 60 members. Over the past two and a half decades, its membership has
increased more than a hundred-fold to almost 15,000 today, making it one of
the largest professional bodies in Malaysia.
The close rapport between the IEM and the government has been
strengthened over the years. The tangible result of the Government's
recognition of IEM was when it accepted qualification for certain posts in the
civil service. Besides gaining Government backing, IEM also received its first
international recognition when it was admitted into the Commonwealth
Engineering Council in 1962.

PAST LEADERS
No history is complete without the people making it. Similarly, IEM has had
numerous dedicated and selfless leaders and members who made many
sacrifices to nurture and build up the Institution to what it is today - a proud
symbol of all engineers in Malaysia.In its 40 years of existence, IEM has
had the services of 23 Presidents. They represent various engineering
disciplines.

The founder President was Ir. Tan Sri Yusoff Haji Ibrahim who served a
four-year term. He was succeeded by another able leader, Ir. Raja Tan Sri
Zainal bin Raja Suleiman, who was then the General Manager of LLN. (now
known as TNB). Twenty-one other Presidents came after him and each in
his own way left an indelible mark on the IEM and shaped its destiny.

OBJECTIVES
The objectives and purposes of which the Institution is constituted are to
promote and advance the theory and practice of engineering in all its
disciplines and to:
raise the character and status and advance the interests of the profession;
increase the confidence of the community in the employment of recognised
engineers by admitting to the Institution only such persons who have
adequate knowledge of both the theory and practice of engineering.
promote honest practice, prevent malpractice and settle disputed points of
practice and ethics;
collect and disseminate engineering information;
arrange lectures, exhibitions and conferences, seminars, courses;
encourage the study of engineering and improve the general and technical
knowledge of persons engaged in the profession;
originate and promote improvements in legislation and its administration by
deputation, submissions and representations.

LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATIONS AND RECOGNITION

Over the years, IEM has gained recognition not only locally but also
internationally.

IEM is an active member of several International Engineering Organisations.

They include the World Federation of Engineering Organisations (WFEO),
Commonwealth Engineers Council (CEC), Federation of Engineering
Institutions of Southeast Asia and the Pacific (FEISEAP), Association of
Engineering Education of Southeast Asia (AEESEA), Asean Federation of
Engineering Organisations (AFEO).

The Institution is also represented on various local committees and

organisations like Balai Iktisas Malaysia (BIM), Standards & Industrial
Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM), World Energy Organisation (WEO)
and many others.

SECTION IX PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT &

DISCIPLINE
9.1 Every member shall be bound by the
Constitution, Bylaws and Regulations of
the Institution.
9.2 Every Corporate Member shall at all times so
order his conduct as to uphold the dignity and
reputation of his profession, and to safeguard the
public interest in matters of safety and health
and otherwise. He shall exercise his professional
skill and judgement to the best of his ability and
discharge his professional responsibility with
integrity.

9.3 Every member of any grade shall at all times so

order his conduct as to uphold the dignity and
reputation of the Institution, and act with fairness
and integrity towards all persons with whom his work
is connected and other members.
9.4 For the purpose of ensuring fulfilment of the
requirements of Sections 9.2 and 9.3 of the Bylaws,
but without prejudice to their generality, the Council
may make, vary and rescind the Professional Conduct
Regulations to be observed by all members of all
grades with regard to their conduct in any respect
which may be relevant to their positions or intended
positions as members of the Institution, and may
publish directions or pronouncements to the specific
conduct which is to be regarded as proper or as
improper as the case may be.

9.6 Every member of any grade in so far as he

shall be engaged or employed in any advisory or
consultative capacity, shall observe and be bound
by the followingCode of Professional Conduct and
the Professional Conduct Regulations made
thereunder.
(a) He shall act strictly in a fiduciary manner in
relation to his clients, and his charges to such
clients shall constitute his only remuneration in
connection with such work, except as provided by
paragraph (d) of this Bylaw.
(b) He shall not accept any trade commissions,
discounts, allowances, or indirect profit in
connection with the work upon which he is
engaged.

(c) He shall not, without disclosing the fact in

writing to his clients, be a director or member of,
or a shareholder in or act as agent for, any
contracting or manufacturing company or firm
business with which he may have occasion to deal
on behalf of his clients, or have any financial
interest in such a business.
(d) He shall not receive, directly or indirectly, any
royalty, gratuity or commission on any patented
or protected article or process used on work
which he is carrying out for his clients, unless
such royalty, gratuity, or commission has been
authorised in writing by those clients.

(e) He shall not under any circumstances solicit

advisory or consultative work, either directly or
by an agent, nor shall he pay, by commission or
otherwise, any person who may introduce clients
to him.
(f) He shall not be the medium of payments made
on his clients behalf to any contractor, or
business firm (unless specially so requested by
his clients), but shall only issue certificates or
recommendations for payment by his clients.

CODE OF ETHICS
In today's specialised technologically based society there is a great dependence
on the sound judgment and integrity of the professional engineer. The further
development of civilisation, the conservation and management of natural
resources, and the improvement of the standards of living of mankind are greatly
affected by the work of the engineer. For that work to be fully effective it is
necessary not only that engineers strive constantly to widen their knowledge and
improve their skill but also that the community be willing to recognise the integrity
and trust the judgment of members of the profession of engineering. For this to
happen the profession must be recognised in the community for:
its skill in using technical expertise for the enhancement of human welfare;
its loyalty to the community, to employers and clients;
its honesty and impartiality in professional practice.
Because of the importance on these matters the Institution has a Code of Ethics.
The preamble to the Code states:
... members are required to order their conduct in accordance with the
principle that, in any conflict between a member's personal interest and
fair and honest dealing with other members of the Community, his duty to
the Community must prevail.

THE CODE OF ETHICS BY INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, MALAYSIA

The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM), primary role is to cover all
major disciplines of engineering practiced in Malaysia. It is governed by
Constitution and by-laws which include the regulation of professional
conduct.It is being managed by a Council which consists of elected
members. The Council will delegate the day to day management of the
Institution to an Executive Committee which oversees six standing
committees on finance, admissions, examination & qualification, publication,
activities and professional practice.
The principal duties of the Standing Committee on Professional Practice are
as follows:a)

To review, co-ordinate and formulate policies on all aspect of professional

practice among members of the Institution including the conduct, ethics,
discipline and good technical practice.

b)

To liaise with other professional bodies, public and statutory authorities

c)

To examine and report to the Executive Committee on any complaint made

against a member of the Institution.

BOARD OF ENGINEERS MALAYSIA CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

Under the Section 15 of the Engineers Act 1967, the Board may order the
cancellation of the registration of any engineer, if:
1.

He is guilty of fraud, dishonesty or moral turpitude;

2.

The accepts of illicit commission;

3.

Failed to disclose to his/her client any vested financial interest in dealings with
the client.
There are other grounds for de-registration but these are not related to ethics.
ASSOCIATION OF CONSULTING ENGINEERS, MALAYSIA (ACEM)
The ACEM is a non-profit limited company, incorporated under the Companies
Act in 1963. The affairs of the ACEM are governed by their memorandum and
articles of association. The main objective of ACEM is to promote the interests
of all Consulting Engineers and Consulting Engineering as a profession. The
philosophy of ACEM is that the members should uphold high principles and
established themselves as an elite group of unbiased professional engineers
who can be trusted to give independent and unbiased professional advice
which is completely unfettered by the possibility of conflicts of interest arising
due to a Consulting Engineers excessive involvement in business or other
commercial ventures, especially with his/her nature of work.

COMPLEMENTARY FUNCTIONS OF IEM, BEM & ACEM CODE OF

ETHICS
The three major Professional Engineering bodies to which engineers may
be affiliated are:
1.

The Board of Engineers (BEM), which is a statutory body governed by

the Engineers Act 1967 and with which an Engineer must registered
before he/she can be employed or practise as an Engineer.

2.

The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM). which is a learned society

registered under the Societys Act. Membership is voluntary but the
professional standards set by IEM for membership are accepted by BEM
as qualifications for registration as a Professional Engineer (PE). Most PE
are IEM members.

3.

The Association of Consulting Engineers, Malaysia (ACEM), is a nonprofit organisation comprising of Consulting Engineers. Its objective is to
promote the interest of Consulting Engineering as a profession.
All the three bodies have their own Code of Ethics designed too suit their
specific requirement according to the objectives of each body constituted.

BEM Code of Professional Conduct are amenable and have clear interpretation
because of its legal connotations and would be enforceable in law. Issues of morality
and philosophy would be ineffective in law since it is impossible to legislate moral or
philosophical principles. Therefore, the BEM code can distinguished between legal
and illegal cases. BEM lays down minimum baseline rules which are enforceable in
law and must be observed by all engineers registered under the Engineers Act.
The IEM Regulations on Professional Conduct tend to be general because IEM
members comprise of various engineering disciplines, as well as types of
professional employment and businesses. IEM Code embraces many areas
involving moral and philosophical considerations including public safety & health,
conservation of resources & environment, upgrading of technology, engineers
responsibility and the conduct of affairs between Engineer and employees, clients
and peers. There is a provision in the IEM by-laws that disciplinary cases are
referred to BEM for appropriate action.
The ACEM Code is designed to order conduct of Consulting Engineers in areas like
advertising and promotion of works, fees and other remuneration, competition with
other members, submission of bids or proposals and related subject. ACEM
members are bound to observe the Codes of both BEM and IEM (if they are also
IEM members) and details rules to govern the conduct of Consulting Engineers
business. The ACEM Code is designed to maintain strict discipline amongst their
members to ensure that they maintain their independent professional status without
excessive commercial involvement which may give rise to conflict of interest.

PURPOSE OF PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW (P.I)

The Professional Interview (P.I) is conducted by interviewers on behalf of the
IEM Council. It is intended to test the candidates:
a)

Grasp of engineering principles application in solving problems that arise from

investigation, planning, design or construction of engineering works or research

b)

Capability to accept professional responsibility

c)

Ability to communicate

The Professional Interview Eligibility

The objective of the P.I., is to ensure that a candidate wishing to be elected as
a Corporate Member has a minimum period of engineering experience. Under
the Engineers Act 1972, stipulated that the candidate must:
1.

Be a registered graduate engineer with BEM

2.

Have completed 2 years of service with the government sector i.e. DID or JKR
(only applicable to Civil Engineers)

3.

Undergo a training stint either through the IEM Log Book Scheme for a period
of 3 years or independently under P.E supervision preferably in the same
discipline for a period of 4 years.

PREPARATION FOR PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW

A P.I candidate must submit documents showing evidence of his/her
engineering experience. It can be in form of drawings with calculation attached.
The candidate must also submit a report in chronological order describing the
work he has undertaken since graduation. The report must indicate clearly the
engineering problems encountered by the candidate and his/her solution to
overcome this situation. The candidate needs to have an understanding of cost,
quantities & magnitude, knowledge of technical standards and code of
practices and the various restrictions on their applications in solving the
problem encountered.
The purpose of ORAL interview is to clarify certain points stated in the report
and to ascertain whether the candidate did carry out the job. The engineering
experience gained should include planning-design, investigation-field, workconstruction, supervision & management and general engineering related
activities.
After the oral session, the candidate is required to write two essays. The
reason is to allow the candidate a chance to clarify certain points that were not
properly expressed during the interview.The second essay is on the code of
ethics.

THE ATTRIBUTES OF A MODERN ENGINEER

During the interview, the candidate is assessed whether he/she is worthy
enough to be accepted as a corporate member of the Institution. The
candidate should be:
1.

Technically competent

2.

Able to conceptualise

3.

Able to plan and modify when situation changes whilst still maintaining
the goal of the plan

4.

Competent in design assemble facts, arranging them, analysing and

judging before drawing a conclusion

5.

Cost conscious and able to make cost comparisons

6.

Able to communicate write, sketch, speak and respond. Able to develop

management skills especially in human relations, decision making, to
lead and be a team advisor or coordinator

7.

Able to advocate and to champion the conclusions reached by his/her

professional competence and to show by examples that ethics and high
integrity are fundamental in professional service.

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
The electrical engineer is concerned with the generation, transmission and
utilisation of electrical energy; with industrial control and industrial electronics;
and with application electronics to such diverse fields as communications,
computers, instrumentation, medicine and automatic control.
Because of the diversity of electrical engineering, opportunities are available in
virtually every phase of industrial activity and government service. Electrical
engineers are in demand in manufacturing, mining, transportation, construction,
utilities, communications,oil exploration and product development. For those with
an interest in computer hardware or software, the increasing use of
minicomputers and microprocessors in instrumentation, medical and diagnostic
services, signal processing and industrial process control has lead to challenging
opportunities. After extensive experience in any of these fields, an electrical
engineer may offer his services as a consultant.

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Mechanical engineers are not limited in their employment to only one or two
industrial sectors, and job openings for mechanical engineers comprise an
unending range of opportunities. The education of a mechanical engineer covers
a broad range of topics including the mechanics of materials, machine dynamics,
thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, automatic control and computer-aided design.
In addition to the traditional role of mechanical engineers in the development of
machinery, the graduates are increasingly taking a role in the development of
robots for advanced manufacturing systems, in automation of industrial
processes, in naval architecture and in bioengineering.

TECHNICAL DIVISIONS

In order to implement the learned society function of the Institution more

effectively, the following Technical Divisions have been established within
the structure of the Institution:
Agriculture and Food Engineering
Building Services
Chemical Engineering
Civil and Structural Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Engineering Education
Environmental Engineering
Geotechnical Engineering
Graduate & Student Section
Highway and Transportation Engineering
Information Technology Special Interest Group
Mechanical Engineering

TECHNICAL DIVISIONS
Oil and Gas
Production and Manufacturing Engineering
Tunneling and Underground Space
Water Resources Engineering

There is also a Graduate & Student Section. Each Division/Section is run

by a Division/Section Committee and is responsible for conducting its
affairs within general policies laid down by the Council.
Divisions/Sections are serviced through the National Headquarters of
the Institution.

MEMBERSHIP GRADES
There are six grades of members, viz. Honorary Fellows, Fellows, Members,
Graduates, Students and Affiliates, of which the first three are corporate grades,
i.e. they have been recognised by the Institution as qualified and experienced
professional engineers. The Honorary Fellows are also awarded to nonengineers, who are prominent and have contributed to the development of
engineering and sciences. Y.B. Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamed is one such
Hon. F.l.E.M). The requirements for these grades are:
Honorary fellow: Honorary Fellow shall be a distinguished person of
acknowledged eminence whom the Institution desires to honour for services
rendered to the engineering profession. Honorary Fellowship shall only be
conferred by the Council.
Fellow: There shall be no direct admission to this grade. Admission shall only
be by transfer from the grade of Member. To be eligible for transfer to the grade of
Fellow, a Member shall have satisfied the Council that he is worthy of transfer to
this grade.
Member: A Member, at the time of his advancement or election to this grade,
shall have satisfied the Council that he has attained such standard as set by the
Council to testify to his proficiency as a professional engineer, and that he is
worthy of election as Member.

MEMBERSHIP GRADES
Graduate: A Graduate shall be a person who, with respect to
his age, his educational attainments, his practical training, his
employment and otherwise, complies with such of the Bylaws
and Regulations as applied to Graduates.
Affiliate: An Affiliate shall be a person who has had the
necessary experience in a responsible position in engineering or
a person who, by his connection with engineering
science or the arts or otherwise, is qualified to concur with
professional engineers in the advancement of engineering
knowledge.
Student: A Student shall be a person who, with respect of his
age, his education attainments and otherwise, complies with
such of the Bylaws and Regulations as applied to Students.
Applications for admission to all grades of membership should be made on
forms available from National Headquarters or any Branch Office.

FEES AND ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

Entrance and Transfer Fees
An entrance/transfer fee payable for the grade of membership to which the applicant
is admitted, elected or transferred shall be due and payable as of the date of
admission. Election or transfer to that grade, as follows:(a) Member
who has been a graduate member for at least two years before
applying for election. RM 100.00
2. who does not fulfil the requirements in (a)(1) above. RM 350.00
(b) Graduate
who has been a student member for at least one year and who applies
for transfer to this grade of membership within ninety days after
graduation in engineering from a recognised institution. RM 50.00
2. who does not fulfil the requirements in (b)(1) above. RM 80.00
(c) Affiliate RM 200.00
(d) Student None
Subject to the above, there shall be no other transfer fee payable on changing from
one grade of membership to another.

FEES AND ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

Annual Subscription
The annual subscription payable by membership wherever resident, shall be
as follows:Fellows RM 185.00
Members RM 110.00
Affiliates RM 110.00
Graduates, who on the 1st Jan. have attained the age of 30 RM 110.00
have not attained the age of 30 RM 70.00
Students, who on the 1st Jan. have attained the age of 24 RM 70.00
have not attained the age of 24 RM 20.00
Notwithstanding the above, any student member who has attained the age of
24 years and can produce evidence that he is still a bona fide student of an
institution of higher learning or that he is registered for the Institution's
Graduate Examination shall pay the same rate as a Student member below
the age of 24.

FEES AND ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

Fellow
Entering this grade shall be only by transfer from the grade of member
A member for transfer must not be less than 35 years of age and
-who have served as Corporate Member of IEM of not less than 5 years
employment in position of major responsibility in planning, design, execution or
management of important engineering work
-Is in a responsible position in his organization and has occupied a prominent
position in the profession of engineering , and has either made noteworthy
contribution to the science of engineering or materially advanced the practice of
engineering
-Submits the IEM Form (F) together
with Organization chart
-Position served to be highlighted
-Signatories of 6 engineers of which 4
are members and 2 are Fellow members
-Brief tabulation of experience

FEES AND ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

Affiliate
-Shall be required to produce evidence to the satisfaction of the IEM
Council
-That he is connected with the engineering profession, and
-That he is a graduate from a university / college of recognised standing
and has been in the active practice of his special pursuit for not less than
five years or
-That he has been in active practice of his special pursuit for not less than
ten years, and he has had responsible charge in his special pursuit as
principal or assistant for not less than three years
-Submits application form IEM/PI(1)
-Birth certificate
-Degree certificate and transcript
-Evidence of working experience.

FEES AND ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

Graduate
-A candidate for admission or transfer into this grade shall be not less than 21
years of age and shall produce evidence to the satisfaction of the IEM Council
-That he has graduated in engineering from a recognised university with an
accredited engineering degree or has obtained an equivalent qualification.
-Submits application form IEM(G)
-Birth certificate (only admission cases)
-Registration letter as a graduate engineer with the Board of Engineers,
Malaysia
-Degree and Diploma certificates together with transcripts
-Evidence to show discipline/branch of engineering if the information is not in
certificate
-STPM/SPM/GCE/Matriculation certificate or equivalent
-All United Kingdom graduate must produce evidence to show applicant had
spent 2 years in the university in United Kingdom.

FEES AND ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

Student
- A student shall be a person who is not less than 17 years of age
- The student should be studying engineering in a recognised university or college
of equivalent academic standing or
- A student pursuing a course of engineering approved by the IEM
Council or
- Candidate enrolled for Part I or Part II of the IEM /BEM Graduate Examination or
Examination of an overseas professional institution recognised by the IEM Council
-Submits application form IEM(S) and
-Birth certificate
-Diploma Certificate and transcripts
-STPM/SPM/GCE certificate or equivalent
-Letter from Vice-Chancellor or Head of Department (local university only)
or
-Approval letter to sit for IEM/BEM Graduate Examination/Engineering Council
Examination

FEES AND ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

Member
-A candidate for election into this grade shall produce evidence to the satisfaction
of the IEM Council that he is worthy of election and
-That he has a graduate qualification as approved by the IEM Council and
-Is a graduate engineer for a minimum period of three to four or six years or
based on period specified by IEM/BEM. i.e.
-Working experience of 3 years or more for those graduating prior to 1.1.1998
-Working experience of 4-6 years or more (depending on period specify by
IEM/BEM) for those graduating after 1.1.1998
-Preferably the candidate must be
working under the guidance of a
Professional Engineer.
-(Working experience means practical experience in engineering in a manner
satisfactory to the Council ie in planning, design, executive or management of
such works as are comprised within the profession of engineering , or in
engineering research, or the teaching of engineering in a course leading to a
qualification).
or

FEES AND ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

That he has had a formal course of education and training to be an engineer,
has had at least 15 years' employment in positions of full responsibility in the
design and/or execution of engineering work and fulfil the requirements as a
special candidate as specified in the Regulations governing the conduct of
the Professional Interview and oral Examination
- Submits application form IEM/PI (1) and IEM/PI (2)-in duplicates
- Birth certificate (only for Election cases)
- BEM Registration Letter as a Graduate Engineer (Election cases)
-Degree and Diploma certificates together with transcripts
- Evidence to show discipline/branch of engineering if the information is not in
certificate
- STPM/SPM/GCE/Matriculation certificate or equivalent
- All United Kingdom graduate must produce evidence to show applicant
had spent 2 years in the university in
United Kingdom.

FEES AND ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

-Payment of PI fees:-RM 100.00 - for transfer cases
-RM 200.00 - for Election cases
Form completed with
-1 proposer, 3 seconders
-Experience clearly tabulated after the date of graduation and breakdown
of experience recorded in months
-Signatures of 2 engineers to verify experience on each page of the form
-For Civil Engineering candidates, at least 1 year site and 1 year design
experience are required
-Form IEM/PI (3) to be submitted when called for Interview
-Name will be circulated in IEM Bulletin for a month
-IEM form will be submitted when the Interviewers called for interview

BOARD OF ENGINEERS MALAYSIA

CIRCULAR NO. 3/2005
GUIDELINES
for
CODE OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

(2) The Board shall consist of the following members who shall be
Malaysian citizens
and who are appointed by the Minister:
[Act A1158]
(a) a President who shall be a Professional Engineer; [Act A1158]
(b) not more than fourteen members who shall be Professional
Engineers, five of
whom shall be from a nomination list submitted by the Council of the
Institution of Engineers (Malaysia);
[Act A1158]
(c) one member on the nomination of the Board of Architects from
among
members of that Board established under the Architects Act 1967;
and
[Act A1158]
(d) one member on the nomination of the Board of Quantity Surveyors
from
among members of that Board established under the Quantity
Surveyors Act
1967.

(iii) using the abbreviation Ir. before his name

or the abbreviation P.Eng. after his name or in
any way in association with his name;
(b) use or display any sign, board, card or other
device representing or implying that he is a
Professional Engineer;
(c) be entitled to recover in any court any fee,
charge, remuneration or other form of
consideration for any professional engineering
services rendered; or
(d) use the stamp as prescribed in the Second
Schedule.

(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1)

(a) a Graduate Engineer may, subject to section 8,
take up employment which requires him to
perform professional engineering services; and
(b) a person who is a Professional Engineer by
virtue of paragraph 10(2)(iii) as in force on the
appointed date and who, on the 1st March, 1974,
was not practising as an engineer in private
practice shall not, at any time after that date, so
practise unless
(i) he holds a certificate from the Board that he
has obtained a professional qualification
approved by the Board; or
(ii) he is a Corporate Member of the Institution of
Engineers (Malaysia).

RESTRICTIONS ON

UNREGISTERED PERSONS,
GRADUATE ENGINEERS

7. (1) No person shall, unless he is a

Professional Engineer (a) practise, carry on business or take up
employment which requires him to carry out or
perform professional engineering services;
(aa) be entitled to describe himself or hold himself
out under any name, style or
(i) bearing the words "Professional Engineer" or
the equivalent thereto in any other language;
(ii) bearing any other word whatsoever in any
language which may reasonably be construed to
imply that he is a Professional Engineer;
or

QUALIFICATIONS FOR
REGISTRATION.
[ACT A1158]
10. (1) (a) Subject to this Act, a person who
holds
(i) the qualifications required for Graduate
Membership of the Institution of Engineers
(Malaysia) and which are recognised by the
Board; or
(ii) any qualification in engineering which is
recognised by the Board,
shall be entitled on application to be registered as
a Graduate Engineer.

(b) Subject to this Act, a person who is registered

as a Graduate Engineer under paragraph (a)
shall be required to obtain such practical
experience as may be prescribed by the Board in
order to be entitled to apply for registration as a
Professional Engineer under subsection (2).

1.0 A Registered Engineer shall at all times hold

paramount the safety, health and welfare of the
public.
2.0 A Registered Engineer shall undertake
assignments only if he is qualified by education
and experience in the specific technical fields
in which he is involved.
3.0 A Registered Engineer shall issue public
statements only in an objective and truthful
manner.
4.0 A Registered Engineer shall act for each
employer or clients as faithful agent or trustee.
5.0 A Registered Engineer shall conduct himself
honourably, responsibly, ethically and lawfully
so as to enhance the honour, reputation and
usefulness of the profession.

ROAD TO A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER

Get a recognize degree by Board of Engineer
Malaysia (BEM)
Upon graduation register as graduate engineer
with BEM
22. (1) The practical experience that a
Graduate Engineer is required to obtain
under section 10(1)(b) of the Act so as to be
entitled to apply for registration as a Professional
Engineer shall be carried out to the satisfaction
of the Board, for a period of at least three
years, and shall include the following:

(a) the Graduate Engineer must undergo - [P.U. (A)

424./2003]
(i) at least two years of general training that will
provide a sound basis for professional development;
and
(ii) at least one year of professional career
development and training providing wide exposure to
the various managerial and technical expertise in
engineering practice,
where at least one year of the training must be
obtained in Malaysia under the supervision of a
Professional Engineer in the same branch of
engineering as that practised by the Graduate
Engineer, although Professional Engineers in other
related branches of engineering may be accepted with
the prior approval of the Board; and

(b) the Graduate Engineer must have satisfactory

attendance in courses and professional
development programmes determined by the
Board, and conducted by the Board or
institutions approved or accredited by the Board