Demand for building maintenance: Devamany

KUALA LUMPUR: Infrastructure asset management is on demand in the country to address the challenge of repair and maintenance buildings and physical developments.
Stating this, Deputy Minister of Prime Minister's Department and Senator Datuk Seri S. K. Devamany said with the need for expertise in field it is crucial for the young and working adults to consider taking up this course.
"One of Malaysia's greatest challenge today is sustaining building management.
"We usually have budget for new buildings and infrastructures but we always don't have enough money for repair and maintenance," he said today.
He noted that the government is seriously considering to make maintenance culture an important part of the budgetary framework and asset management framework.
"When the nation is going towards that we need the human resource and the expertise. It is meant for engineers and those in project management levels," Devamany said.
He was speaking to reporters at the launch of the new MBA and Executive Diploma courses in Infrastructure Asset Management by the Institute of Infrastructure Asset Management (IIAM) in collaboration with Kolej IEWM and Infrastructure University Kuala Lumpur (IUKL).
Commending the institutions for offering the specialised programmes, Devamany urged industrial workers in the construction, transportation, water and others that requires physical development to take up this alternative education, which aims to directly address the industry-specific issues.
"All project costs will also include maintenance costs. Thus, the knowledge and expertise is much needed in this aspect," he said.
Devamany also said that the government may consider expanding the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programme towards niche markets like this.
"This is one way to create more knowledge-based from skill-based workers which also includes up-skilling the workers.
"These two courses will be very beneficial for Malaysia in view of hundreds of projects worth billions are going to take place in the next 10 years like the High Speed Rail, the Greater Kuala Lumpur, modernising the lake garden and sewage treatment plants, TRX and Bandar Malaysia, East Coast Rail Line, Nusajaya and Iskandar projects in Johor, and the East Coast Economic Region Development.
"With all these coming we need these people, we don't want foreign workers filling in all these places in the multi-national companies," he said.
Kolej IEWM CEO Dr Mohd Syazwan Abdullah said among others the institutes provide mentoring by industry professionals for skills and ideas development.
He added that with the government's endorsement for the courses and close links to public agencies the students are guaranteed job placements.
For more information on the courses visit www.iewmcollege.edu.my or call 03-8940 7005/4005.