ACEM Sabah proposes technical task forces to drive sustainable transport and faster project approvals

KOTA KINABALU (Feb 21): The Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia (Sabah Branch), the peak body representing the engineering consultancy profession in the State, made a high-level courtesy visit to Deputy Chief Minister I cum Minister of Works and Utilities, Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Joachim Gunsalam, on February 20. The delegation, which represents the technical backbone of Sabah’s physical development, sought to reinforce its role as a primary technical partner to the Ministry and its various departments, including JKR, JPPS and JANS.

The visit was led by ACEM Sabah Chairman, Ir. Benny Song, who was accompanied by Datuk Ir. Ts. Dr. Amarjit Singh (Hon. Secretary), and the executive committee members:  Ir. Tan Koh Yon, Ir. Mohd Arzahri, and the past chairman: Ir. Ts. Tan KJ, JP and  Ir. Lee Tet Fon.

During the session, Song presented a formal memorandum highlighting several critical pillars for the State’s progress, starting with a “Sabah First Policy” that is to prioritise local Sabah registered Engineering Consultancy Practices (ECPs) for both Federal and State funded projects. This policy aims to ensure that project fees circulate within the local economy while leveraging the specialized geographical and technical expertise that only Sabah-based engineers possess.

Addressing the escalating traffic challenges in the capital, ACEM Sabah has officially offered to provide a dedicated technical working group to assist in initiating a comprehensive Public Transport Masterplan in identifying modern and sustainable engineering solutions.

Furthermore, to streamline the development approval process, the Association proposed the establishment of a joint JKR-ACEM task force to draft and standardise Sabah Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) Guidelines, ensuring that future traffic growth is managed through scientific and consistent benchmarks.

The dialogue also touched on the necessity of enhancing administrative efficiency through the Sabah Utility Corridor (KUS). The Association sought to clarify and refine the workflow between the Ministry and KUS to ensure that the “One-Stop Agency” concept effectively reduces bureaucracy and accelerates utility approvals for vital engineering projects.

In his closing remarks,  Song emphasized that through this close collaboration between the Ministry and local professionals, the State can significantly accelerate the realization of the “Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0” development agenda.

The Association expressed its deep appreciation to the Deputy Chief Minister 1 for his time and for the opportunity to contribute professional engineering insights toward the continuous progress of Sabah.