SIXTY engineers from the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Malaysia Chapter gained knowledge of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Project through a seminar that was organised on 29 June 2018 and 30 June 2018. Also present were several students from Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya.

This seminar was part of the inaugural ICE Malaysia Chapter CPD event to be organised in Malaysia.

Titled ‘Engineering and Constructing Mass Rapid Transportation in Malaysia: A Case Study of MRT 2,’ the seminar focused on the construction of the MRT Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya (SSP) Line.

The first day of the seminar was held at the Faculty of Engineering Auditorium in Universiti Malaya.
An introductory keynote was presented by Opus International (Malaysia) Berhad Chief Operating Officer Dr Tony Chan.

Malaysia Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) SSP Line Planning and Design Director Er Poh Seng Tiok then talked about the adoption of the Building Information Technology (BIM) for the SSP Line.

BIM is a process for creating and managing information on a construction project across the project lifecycle in a virtual environment. It allows users to visualise, collaborate and analyse every aspect in engineering design.

MRT Corp aims to leverage on this BIM technology which allows seamless information exchange and real-time collaboration among stakeholders, enabling the SSP Line to be completed on-time and within the stipulated budget.

MMC-Gamuda KVMRT (T) Sdn Bhd (MGKT) as the Underground Works Package Contractor for the project, had its Safety, Health and Environment General Manager Mr Christopher Fenton provide a short talk about safety enhancements about working underground. Incidents that occur underground is of higher danger compared to those in the elevated sections of the project, thus identifying hazards is at a premium.

Understanding the different geological conditions that the tunnelling works has to go through in Kuala Lumpur is pivotal in ensuring safety measures are being taken.

MMC-Gamuda KVMRT (PDP SSP) Sdn Bhd, the Project Delivery Partner for this project also had its Project Director Mr Param Sivalingam speak at this event. He explained the challenges that the project faces daily, but also the ways to combat it.

The second day of the seminar provided the attendees a first-hand experience of the underground works of the project.

Divided into two groups of thirty, they were brought over to the Bandar Malaysia North MRT Information Centre to learn more about the underground works of the project.

Upon information being disseminated to them, the attendees then managed to have a walkabout of the Bandar Malaysia North Station. This was led by individuals from MGKT.

The two-day seminar was seen as a success and the ICE members were duly grateful for the collaborative efforts by all parties.