THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS MALAYSIA (1999-2011)

I worked at The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia at IEM Building, Petaling Jaya from 1999-2011 as part of the IEM Secretariat, responsible for conducting courses, seminars, conferences, and coordinating three Technical Divisions: Mechanical Engineering, Building Services, and Mineral Engineering. IEM itself is a professional society established in 1959.

Among the programs organized by IEM when I was there:

Events 2000:

• March 2000 - IEM Brainstorming Session: At Century Mahkota Hotel (now Hatten Hotel?), Jalan Syed Abdul Aziz, Melaka. A method for generating ideas to solve technical/commercial problems. The hotel was a waterfront resort-style hotel next to Mahkota Parade.
• 20 March 2000 - Staff Appreciation Lunch:At PJ Hilton Hotel, Petaling Jaya, to celebrate the success of an event. You note Hilton PJ has roots as the former Jaya Puri Hotel and is one of 11 Hilton hotels in Malaysia.
• 26 March 2000 - IEM Jog-A-Round: For IEM members at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa, KL. You describe the park as an iconic "green lung" of KL, opened 1 Feb 1980, named after Banjaran Titiwangsa.
• 15 April 2000 - IEM 41st Annual Dinner:At Renaissance Hotel, corner of Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Ampang, KL (500m from Petronas Towers). Annual gathering to strengthen ties among members nationwide.
• 29-31 May 2000 - Geosynthetic Asia 2000 Conference (GA 2000): At Palace of the Golden Horses, Seri Kembangan, Selangor. Conference on geosynthetics for civil infrastructure and sustainability, part of Asian Regional Conferences on Geosynthetics. You note the hotel is on a 150-acre man-made lake, formerly Hong Fatt Mine - once the largest opencast tin mine in the world.

Extra note: You also stayed at Mint Hotel along KL-Seremban Highway near Mines in 2000. It closed in Feb 2005 due to financial difficulties and is now Nouvelle Hotel.

Events 2001:

• 18 Feb 2001 - Meeting at Genting View Resort, Genting Highlands: Located at 900m altitude on Mount Ulu Kali, founded by Lim Goh Tong in 1965. You note it's a cool, tranquil resort surrounded by rainforest.
• 21 April 2001 - IEM 42nd Annual Dinner: At Mandarin Oriental Hotel, KLCC. Guest of Honour was Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, with IEM President Dr. Gue See Sew. The hotel opened in Oct 1998 next to Petronas Twin Towers.

Events 2002:

• 20 April 2002 - IEM 43rd Annual Dinner: At Istana Hotel, Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Bintang. The 500-room hotel in the Golden Triangle operated from 1992 until it closed permanently on 1 Sept 2021 due to COVID-19, and is now being transformed into Waldorf Astoria.
• 25-27 May 2002 - ISO Training:Organized by IEM at Awana Golf & Country Resort, Genting Highlands (now Resorts World Awana). Training was likely on ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems.

Events 2004

• 17 April 2004 - IEM 45th Annual Dinner: At Palace of The Golden Horses, Seri Kembangan. Guest of Honour was Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, ushered by IEM President Ir. Prof. Abang Abdullah Abang Ali. You describe the hotel as "Asia's Most Extraordinary Hotel" in MINES Wellness City.

Events 2005

• 16 April 2005 - IEM 46th Annual Dinner: At Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre, Bandar Sunway. Guest of Honour was Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Y.B. Dato' Sri Ir. Dr. Jamaluddin bin Dato' Jarjis, who gave a speech on industrialisation and the role of engineers.

Other 2005 events:Mechanical Engineering Technical Division (METD) Seminar and Networking at Finnegan Irish Restaurant, Jalan Bukit Bintang — same venue you used again in 2006.

Events 2006 :

The most active and busiest year for you and the IEM secretariat staff.

• 3 March - METD Seminar & Networking: Relaxed session by the Mechanical Engineering Technical Division at Finnegan Irish Restaurant, Jalan Bukit Bintang, KL. You note the pub is now permanently closed.
• 6-8 March - Tunnelling & Trenchless Technology Seminar: At Subang Sheraton Hotel & Towers (now Dorsett Grand Subang). Seminar covered large underground infrastructure and pipe laying technologies.
• 9 March - Site Visit to SMART Tunnel: At Sg. Besi, KL. The Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel was still under construction (2003-2007). IEM also organized a second visit to Kg Pandan in May.
• 11 March - Site Visit to Serdang Power Station: Organized for 30+ engineers. The station had just been renamed to Putrajaya Power Station on 15 Feb 2006, weeks before your visit. One of 7 TNB thermal stations built in 1993.
• 27-28 March - ASME Code Section IX Course: At Armada Hotel, Petaling Jaya.
• 1 April - METD Leadership Training: At Grand BlueWave Hotel, Shah Alam - now rebranded as Mardhiyyah Hotel & Suites.
• 22 April - IEM 47th Annual Dinner: At Palace of the Golden Horses, Seri Kembangan. Theme was "An Evening with IEM" with Guest of Honour Deputy Minister of Works Y.B. Dato' Ir. Mohd Zin bin Mohamed.
• 9-11 May - CONCET 2006: International Conference on Concrete Engineering & Technology at Subang Sheraton.
• 21-25 May - 11th Asian Congress on Fluid Mechanics: At Berjaya Times Square Hotel, Jalan Imbi, KL. You mention the view from your room (38-04) overlooking Pudu Jail, which closed in 1996 and was demolished by 2012 to make way for BBCC / LaLaport.
• 24 May - Site Visit to Genting Sanyen Kuala Langat Power Station: Part of the Fluid Mechanics Congress. Malaysia's first Independent Power Producer, commissioned 1996, later sold to 1MDB in 2012 and now under Edra Energy.
• 28 August - 11th Asian Pacific Confederation of Chemical Engineering (APCChE):At KL Convention Centre. You note it coincided with the famous "Wedding of the Century" of Siti Nurhaliza and Dato' Sri Khalid Mohamad Jiwa held on the ground floor while your event was on the 3rd floor.
• 24-25 Nov - METD Leadership Retreat: At Port Dickson Golf & Country Club, for strategic planning.
• 29 Nov - 2 Dec - CAFEO 24: 24th Conference of ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organisations at Sunway Lagoon Resort Hotel. Theme: "Branding of ASEAN Professional Engineering Services and Education for Global Mobility".

Events 2007

• 8-11 May 2007 - 16th Southeast Asian Geotechnical Conference (SEAGC): At Subang Sheraton Hotel & Tower, Subang Jaya. The official conference of the Southeast Asian Geotechnical Society to promote liaison and cooperation among member countries on geotechnical engineering.
• 19 June 2007 - Route to Professional Engineer: At Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), Kajang, Selangor. IEM briefing for graduate engineers on becoming a Professional Engineer. You list the 3 routes: 1) Professional Assessment Examination, 2) Corporate Member of IEM, 3) Route for a Professional Engineer from an overseas Regulatory Body.
• 17-18 Dec 2007 - ASME Code Section VIII Div 1: Conducted by Mechanical Engineering Technical Division at Crystal Crown Hotel, Petaling Jaya. Course on ASME standards for design, construction, and maintenance of pressurized equipment. You note the hotel opened in Jan 1995 and caters to business travelers.

Events 2008

• 19 April 2008 - IEM 49th Annual Dinner: At Subang Sheraton Hotel & Tower. Guest of Honour was Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, with IEM President Dato' Paduka Ir. Hj. Keizrul bin Abdullah.
• 10 May 2008 - IEM Open House: At Wisma IEM, Petaling Jaya. Organized by Standing Committee on Welfare and Service Matters to promote fraternity among IEM members, families, and Council.
• 6 June 2008 - Staff Appreciation Dinner: At Hotel Plaza, Jalan Raja Laut, KL (now Plaza Grand Hotel, 3-star, 158 rooms). You emphasize the hard work of IEM Secretariat staff making IEM events possible.
• 1 Nov 2008 - Technical Visit to Zenxin Organic Park, Kluang, Johor: Organized by Mining Engineering Technical Division. Largest and first open-to-public organic farm in Malaysia, combining education and recreational fun on organic farming techniques.

Events 2009

• 18 April 2009 - IEM 50th Annual Dinner: At One World Hotel, Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya. This was the Golden Jubilee dinner. You received a certificate of appreciation for 10 years of service with IEM (1999-2009). The dinner was held during IEM Engineering Week, organized to promote the engineering profession to the public.
• 16 May 2009 - IEM Family Day: At Tasik Taman Jaya, Petaling Jaya. A day for families of IEM members and staff to reconnect and strengthen bonds.
• 30 July 2009 - Electrical Engineering Technical Division Course: At Holiday Inn Glenmarie, Shah Alam.
• 29 Dec 2009 - IEM Brainstorming Session: For IEM Secretariat Staff at Bangunan Ingenieur, Petaling Jaya. Collaborative session to generate ideas and solutions.

Events 2010

• 17 April 2010 - IEM 51st Annual Dinner: At Sime Darby Convention Centre, Jalan Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur. Venue near KL Golf & Country Club, less than 20 mins from city centre.

Events 2011

• 16 April 2011 - IEM 52nd Annual Dinner: At Putrajaya Marriott Hotel, IOI Resort, Sepang. This was your last Annual Dinner after 12 years working with IEM (1999-2011).

Final farewell: You received a Token of Appreciation from Ir. Cheong Thiam Fook, Chairman of Mechanical Engineering Technical Division (METD) at Armada Hotel, Petaling Jaya. This was your last meeting with METD after 12 years handling its meetings, courses, and seminars.

You close the series with "Good Bye IEM (1999-2011)".

Hj Zulheimy Maamor

1 September 2026: 2.33 a.m