VIEWPOINT OF AN ENGINEER

ECONOMY

Whew! Finally some good news. The PM has announced that he will stepping down (but only in 2 years time). My first reaction is, “Its too long”. However, maybe this long transition is good. Hopefully this will stop the politicking and the Honorable leaders will get down to work, which is helping the people. Millions of citizens are suffering caused by the steep price hike. Besides, as a friend mentioned a new leader does not mean things will get better – could be even worse. All we can do is hope and pray.

Please come up with better ideas than telling people to sell “goreng pisang” after they are done with their day job. Those that are doing this full time are already struggling to make a living! Having extra competition from part-timers does not help. Probably only guarantee losses for all involved!

Another bright idea is paying civil servants twice a month. Maybe I am stupid, but I can’t figure out how this will help the people involved. Unless they are thinking the people couldn’t be trusted with their money and this prevent them from spending all in a couple of days upon receiving their salaries.

Wonder, who comes out with all these ideas?

CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

The construction industry is seemingly in a coma. A common respond I get nowadays is, “Project on hold, as budget exceeded” “How to quote, prices now like the stock market” etc. Until the prices of building material prices are stabilized, there is no hope of recovery. I can’t understand why the Government never thought about all this, before they happily hike up the fuel prices.

I applaud the initiatives of the Master Builders’ Association suggestion that the Government stockpile certain materials to stabilize prices. Whether this works or not, nobody knows, but at least its an attempt to stabilize prices and get the construction industry moving again. Its been said that the construction industry has the biggest multiplier effect on a country’s economy (maybe, I am biased).

MY PRESENT JOBS

1) Bungalow at Bukit Damansara

I am working on a bungalow in Bukit Damansara but only on the structural steel portions only, namely the car porch, the staircase and the roof top (which consists of cantilever columns supporting a ‘wavy’ roof structure – tough!) However it’s a creative concept, they even plan to have a ‘koi’ pond on one of the upper open levels and a steel bridge! The owner is an established and successful architect with his own company.

2) Training

I provided some training for the technical staff of a roof truss manufacturer in Klang last week. Basically it’s a training on “How to design a roof truss (using RHSs & SHSs) and its connections”. Design is based on BS5950 , which is the governing code for Malaysia. Considering, that this is my first time I am doing this, I think I did not do too badly. I am quite sure, most of them were still awake when I was through – ha! ha! Anybody, interested in Steel Design training?