1. Yang Berhormat Dato' Ir Mohd Zin bin Mohamed
Deputy Minister of Works, Malaysia

2. Yang Berbahagia Dato' Ir Hamzah Hasan
Chief Executive, Construction Industry Development Board, Malaysia [CIDB]

3. Yang Berbahagia Datuk Ar P Kasi
Chairman, Building Industry Presidents' Council [BIPC]

4. Yang Berbahagia Dato' Jeffrey Ng Tiong Lip
President, Real Estate & Housing Developers' Association [REHDA]

5. Ir Lau Mun Cheong,
President, Master Builders Association, Malaysia [MBAM]

6. Ir Mohd Rousdin Hassan,
President, Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia [ACEM]

7. Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen

Salam Sejahtera and a very Good Evening.

First of all, on behalf of PAM, I wish to extend my sincere thanks to, Yang Berhormat Dato' Ir Mohd Zin bin Mohamed for your presence here this evening and for being our Guest-of-Honour to grace this Building Industry Dinner 2004. Thank you Dato'.

It is my pleasure to welcome all of you to this dinner, where all the partners in the building industry, get the opportunity to meet socially, to network and to foster fellowship. I would also like to thank Yang Berbahagia, Dato' Hamzah Hasan, Chief Executive of CIDB for taking time-off to be present with us this evening.

I believe that there must be collaboration among all the partners in the industry, be they fellow professionals, developers, contractors, sub-contractors, building material manufacturers or suppliers, so that strategically we have a vision to plan for the future for the betterment and development of the building industry.

It was with this objective in mind, that PAM, during the presidency of Datuk Ar P Kasi, in 1997 initiated the idea of the Building Industry Presidents' Roundtable, to create a platform for professionals, developers, contractors and related parties in the building industry. The Roundtable concept was then implemented to discuss pertinent issues and current problems faced by the building industry and offer suggestions and solutions to be presented to the government. We have been meeting regularly every year since then.

This Roundtable was formalized and re-structured as the Building Industry Presidents' Council in 2002 and Datuk Ar P Kasi was elected as its first Chairman. Although Datuk Ar P Kasi 2 years' term is ending, at the BIPC Roundtable held on 23 June just two days ago, members had requested him to remain as Chairman until the 31st of December 2004 to complete the Malaysian Construction Industry Master Plan [MCIMP] and Datuk has agreed to it. Thank you Datuk Ar P Kasi for your leadership for having brought the building and construction industry to a greater heights.

Our industry as a whole must be better organized and more responsible, so that each component party of the industry would understand its roles, accept responsibilities, and, be accountable. This will facilitate a more quality conscious, professional, accountable and sustainable industry.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Ladies & Gentlemen,

Since Dato' Ir Hamzah Hasan took over the post of Chief Executive of CIDB almost 2 years ago, we have seen many positive changes to the construction industry. Our industry partners through the Working Groups, BIPC and the Presidents & CEO's Roundtable with the support and resources provided by CIDB, under the leadership of Dato' Ir Hamzah have completed the draft Construction Industry Master Plan with the Vision of 2015 - "The Malaysian Construction Industry shall be among the Best in the World".

PAM would be happy to work together with CIDB and support its efforts and initiatives to achieve the realization of the objectives.

This is a very tall order but, I believe, achievable. It needs the concerted effort and commitment of all players in the industry to speak and work in unison through the smart partnership with the Government Bodies, facilitated and driven by CIDB with its regulatory roles, with adequate resources, both human and financial under the Malaysia Incorporated Concept, as a way forward towards global competitiveness.

I am happy to note that this is already happening as the initiatives of BIPC Roundtable under the leadership of Datuk Ar P Kasi has brought the industry partners together and established one united voice to improve and strengthen the industry for sustainable growth and to face the challenges of globalization and liberalization.

Datuk Ar P Kasi as Chairman of BIPC will share with you the outcome of the 2nd Presidents & CEO's Roundtable concluded on 24 June yesterday.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Organizing Committee under the chairmanship of Ar Lim Pay Chye for having done a good job. Last but not least, I would like to record PAM's appreciation to all the "Friends of PAM" for their support and sponsorship of PAM's activities and events.

Once again, I would like to thank Yang Berhormat Dato' Ir Mohd Zin bin Mohamed and all of you for your presence this evening.

On this note, ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy the evening and the fellowship of our special guests.

Thank you.