BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE Minister of Development reminded professional engineers, architects and surveyors on the importance of maintaining professionalism in the industry in order to uphold competency, integrity and ethics of the profession.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Haji Suyoi Haji Osman stated this during the 30th anniversary celebration of the Brunei Institution of Surveyors, Engineers and Architects (PUJA) last night at the Indera Samudra Hall of Empire Hotel and Country Club, Jerudong.

“Professionals should carry out their work to code of ethics as prescribed in the Code of Professional Conduct by the Brunei Darussalam Board of Architects, Professional Engineers and Quantity Surveyors. Carrying out your job entrusted you by the client in a diligent and sincere way, giving the best solution possible, ensuring customer satisfaction to the best of your ability determines how professional you are,” he said.

Noting the importance of professionalism in the organisation and in public, the minister said, “Professionalism entails talking and discussing in a calm and collect manner, focusing on solutions, not problems. It also means the recognition bestowed upon them by society as a result of the contribution they make to society as a whole.”

YB Pehin Dato Haji Suyoi also emphasised on the importance of health, safety and environment (HSE), whereby PUJA members as consultants in the industry should take the lead to enforce and inculcate a strong safety culture amongst the project team and contractors in the industry.

“HSE means professional competency and therefore one cannot assume competency if HSE is neglected. Members (of PUJA) should build on this competency in order to deliver their projects to a safe conclusion.

“HSE should be the concern of everyone, not just the persons in the HSE field. Project teams should target Zero Accidents, as a life lost is one too many,” said the minister.

He also encouraged PUJA to come up with training and mentoring schemes for the young and budding professionals as well as to increase their efforts to attract more members from other industries other than the construction industry, such as the oil and gas sector, to join the institution.

“PUJA is the institution for all professionals in all industries in Brunei and everyone should be part of PUJA in order to strengthen its resources and capacity in nation building,” the minister said.

In his welcoming speech, the president of PUJA, Yang Berhormat Hj Zulkipli Hj Abd Hamid said that the theme for PUJA’s 30th anniversary celebration, ‘Our Professional, Our Nation, Our Future’, was chosen to reflect the members’ pride in their professions, their duty in contributing to nation building and also their commitment to the future.

A special video presentation to commemorate the institution’s 30th anniversary was played during the event, followed by a cake cutting ceremony by founding members of PUJA and other special guests.

Established in 1984, PUJA aims to promote, foster and advance the science and art of the professions of surveyors, engineers and architects, and since then has contributed greatly to the development of the profession and the national development of Brunei Darussalam.

The Brunei Times