Reclaiming the Profession
Dear Members,
It is with a profound sense of responsibility and a clear vision for our future that I stand before you as your President for the 2026-27 term. My vision is grounded in causes I have championed throughout my years serving the Institute, and I lead now with clarity, courage, and a renewed commitment to you.
I hear you. Our practices are facing a "contractual minefield" shaped by global supply chain disruptions and unprecedented construction cost escalations. I have previously addressed the anxiety many of us feel regarding cash flow and the survival of our offices. In a crisis of this magnitude, PAM requires unbroken continuity and committed leadership.
Together with Office Bearers we have rolled out the 100-day Blueprint for PAM, a strategic roadmap endorsed by the Council to shift PAM from a reactive posture to a proactive force.
We are focused on three core pillars: Practice, Activism, and Members First.
I. PRACTICE: Protecting the Architect’s Interest
We are moving immediately to provide you with the "contractual teeth" necessary to resist undue liability and client pressure.
- Definitive Practice Note on EOT & Escalation As detailed in my Media Release ‘PAM Calls for Collaborative Action to Manage Construction Cost Escalation’ on 30 April 2026, we have issued a Practice Note (in collaboration with authors of the PAM Contracts), to guide the industry through supply chain disruptions. This advisory encourages a collaborative approach to resolving cost disputes to prevent project abandonment.
- Immediate CDM 2024 Command Strategy Moving from being blindsided to taking control, we will roll out a 4-point strategy to: strategically claim the PCWD role to retain project control, mandate fair fees via a LAM General Circular, build standardized PAM safety templates, and secure expanded ArCover PI Insurance to shield members from new liabilities.
- The ‘Record of Consensus’ & Service Limits We will initiate typology-based focus groups to establish a formal ‘Record of Consensus’ - a unified stance on the exact limits of our basic services. By converting these into official Practice Notes, we empower members to draw a ‘hard line’ against scope creep, providing an official Institute standard to justify additional fees for extra work.
- Value Articulation & Fee Justification Framework Reviving the vision of the late Dato’ Kington Loo, we will launch a Task Force to produce a ‘Value Articulation Framework’. This tool will provide a transparent breakdown of the actual costs of architectural delivery, enabling architects to demonstrate the complexity of their work to clients and negotiate fees more confidently and sustainably.
- HRDF Levy Relief & Regulatory Reform We will pursue a 1-year freeze on the 1% HRDF levy to provide immediate financial breathing room. Simultaneously, through the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC), we will push for a total levy exemption for registered professionals, arguing that our existing mandatory CPD requirements already fulfil the spirit of human resource development.
II. ACTIVISM: Influencing the National Agenda
PAM will reclaim thought leadership and amplify our voice in public policy.
- Direct Intervention for Local Leadership (PMX Appeal) We will formally petition the Prime Minister to ensure Malaysian Architects are appointed as Lead Consultants for all major national and GLC projects. While international collaboration is welcomed, it must complement—not replace—local leadership, ensuring professional fees stay within our economy and support local talent development.
- Strategic Ministry of Finance (MOF) Engagement We will meet the Deputy Finance Minister to seek three critical reforms: the reinstatement of the Minimum Scale of Fees (overturning PK3.2), the strict enforcement of appointing only LAM-registered consultants, and the introduction of consultant-specific bridging finance to provide firms with the working capital needed to survive payment gaps.
- Strategic Alliance with Public Sector Architects (ARSA) We will institutionalize a formal collaboration with Arkitek Sektor Awam (ARSA). By supporting our colleagues in the civil service and local authorities, we enhance the collective influence of the profession within the government machinery, ensuring that architectural voices are heard at every level of the public policy-making process.
III. MEMBERS FIRST: Strengthening Our Foundation
We are reforming the Institute for future-proofing and financial sustainability.
- Council Reformation & ‘Super-Committee’ Model We will restructure the PAM Council into Thrust-driven ‘Super-Committees’ to eliminate redundancy and increase delivery speed. By streamlining portfolios, we reduce bureaucratic overlap and ensure that every Council member is focused on high-impact outcomes rather than administrative maintenance, reflecting a leaner, more agile Institute.
- National Town Hall & Research-Driven Advocacy In the coming months, we will convene a hybrid Town Hall to listen to your predicaments and harvest suggestions. This will be paired with the establishment of a long-term, funded Research Body to analyse data from the recent Well-Being Survey of the Architectural Profession, providing us with the empirical evidence needed to lobby authorities for systemic improvements to our practice.
- Secretariat Modernization & Operational Excellence We will complete the restructuring of the Secretariat by finalising Secretariat management and upskilling of staff. By institutionalising Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), we will ensure that PAM’s institutional knowledge is protected and that the Secretariat evolves into a high-efficiency service centre for all members.
This blueprint is more than a list of promises; it is a commitment to action.
PAM’s mission remains: to promote the advancement of architecture and the architectural profession for the betterment of society. By securing our fees, asserting our leadership, protecting our legal standing, and modernizing our Institute, we will reclaim the dignity of our profession and ensure that every Malaysian Architect has the structural support, legal protection, and fair compensation they deserve.
Let’s rebuild the profession, together.
Ar. Dexter Koh Yew Peng
President 2026-2027