G&P Professionals is an emblem of modern engineering in Malaysia, the organisation helping to deliver a variety of critical projects to the country owing to its advanced and ever-expanding expertise.
INSPIRING MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE
Malaysia’s marriage with modern infrastructure is a healthy one.
Currently accounting for 23 percent of national GDP, construction is incredibly important to the country’s economic success. Be it the iconic Petronas Towers and Kuala Lumpur Tower or an impressive array of civil engineering projects including state-of-the-art transport links, Malaysia has become a leading light in the charge towards contemporaneity in Southeast Asia.
Indeed, recent forecasts made by the national Finance Ministry in its Economic Outlook Report 2020 anticipate industry growth of 3.7 percent this year, indicating that Malaysia’s infrastructural curve will continue to move upward in the near term.
Given this context, the future for organisations like G&P Professionals Sdn Bhd looks incredibly bright.
“G&P Professionals started off as a geotechnical specialist consultancy with only five staff members,” explains Dato’ Ir. Dr Gue See Sew, the company’s Chief Executive Officer.
“Today, we have grown into a one-stop shop for all professional engineering services encompassing areas of civil, structural, infrastructure, geotechnical, mechanical, electrical, maritime, project management, highway, railway, water resources and dams.”
Owing to the booming demand for engineering consultancy that has exploded across Malaysia in the past 15 years, there is an element of being in the right place at the right time with G&P.
To say that this is the sole ingredient in its recipe for success would be naïve, however. Indeed, G&P has established a reputation for best-in-class, high quality services through dedicated practices and unwavering loyalty in meeting the demands of its clientele.
“The satisfaction of innovation and value-engineering to a project and the appreciation of our clients is what motivates us,” See Sew states.
“Most of our new jobs are based on good referrals, owing to the value-added services that we provide. We’re privileged that this industry is very much akin to medical specialist services, where patients look for specialists rather than vice versa, but we don’t take that dynamic for granted.”
GOING THE EXTRA MILE
Indeed, G&P Professionals has compiled an impressive project portfolio in the 20 years since its inauguration.
Its contributions to Malaysia’s ever-expanding rail network are particular highlights, having helped to engineer both the first and second mass rapid transit (MRT) lines in Greater Kuala Lumpur.
Combined, the works for these two projects included the development of 23 kilometres of tunnels and 18 underground rail stations using 12 state-of-the-art boring machines, the MRT entire network designed to carry 929,000 passengers a day.
Above ground, G&P has also helped deliver the Kuala Terengganu Drawbridge in north-eastern Malaysia – the first drawbridge linking Kuala Terengganu City Centre to Kuala Nerus via Seberang Takir. Here, it was engaged to carry out value engineering for the system’s foundation, converting it from bored pile to precast spun pile and generating significant cost and time savings.
Similarly, Jade Hills is a third landmark project showcasing the breadth of G&P’s extensive capabilities.
Here, the company has been delivering more than 13 years of professional services to a 366-acre residential development including technical support on earthworks, infrastructures, retaining walls, foundations, building structures and internal and external buildings services.
And that’s not to mention its alternate expertise spanning flood mitigation, landfill, hydropower dam, palm oil mill and a host of other varied projects.
“We’re immensely proud to play a part in delivering what are some hugely important infrastructure,” See Sew comments. “We’re always willing and able to go the extra mile and look at various options in terms of the design. It’s not in our nature to take the simple approach.”
INTUITIVE INFORMATION
Crucial to the consistent delivery of quality across each of these projects is the G&P Professionals workforce.
Acclaimed as one of the company’s leading assets, this 350-strong employee base is constantly empowered in line with its culture of continual improvement.
“All engineers and geologists present one colloquium training annually and thus, with more than 260 such professionals in our company, we conduct about four sessions a week,” See Sew explains. “The purpose of our in-house education is to encourage lateral and network learning. Our training topics are accredited by the Board of Engineers Malaysia and recognised as leading professional development programmes.”
External speakers – particularly specialist contractors – are also invited in on a regular basis to share their experiences with staff, while G&P engineers are required to undertake one research and development project a year, generally lasting between one and four weeks.
As part of the latter emphasis, the enterprise has introduced an Innovation Award for R&D Works to encourage the creation of crucial innovations and recognise best efforts. Indeed, a number of computer programs and design systems have been developed to date, now used across the practice.
“G&P believes in providing quality training to staff in order to groom and train new engineers so that they are competent with state-of-the-art engineering, and well-equipped with the capability to add value to our projects and face globalisation trends.
“The ultimate intention is to export our consultancy services overseas.”
A SOCIAL STALWART
Looking beyond G&P’s staff, these attitudes of longevity, sustainability and continual improvement are also applied in what can only be described as an extensive selection of corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Sticking with education, See Sew himself currently acts as the Chair of the International Professional Engineers Agreement and has previously served as the International Chairman of the Coordinating Committee of the APEC Engineers Register and President of the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia, imparting knowledge in numerous capacities.
“Another Senior Partner, Ir. Liew Shaw Shong, is also the Founder and President of the Malaysian Geotechnical Society, and the directors of G&P are often actively involved in policy recommendations,” the CEO adds.
“Ir. Dr Tan Yean Chin and I serve as advisors to the Department of Environment, and a few of us have contributed to over 10 universities in roles such as Board Members, an Adjunct Professor, an Adjunct Lecturer and Panel Member on an Industry Advisory Panel.”
Beyond the advisory, the whole of G&P engages in voluntary CSR initiatives.
The company has provided engineering consultancy services in slope strengthening for the Ti-Ratana Orphanage Home in Gombak, Selangor; investigations into the failure of the Malaysian Nature Society’s building and slope failure for Women’s Aid Organisation; and designed the foundation of Selangor Hokkien Association on a karst limestone formation in Kuala Lumpur.
“In addition, G&P sets aside about 1.5 percent of its profits for various charitable organisations,” See Sew adds, reiterating the importance of such initiatives, deeming them particularly close to the organisation’s heart.
KEEPING PACE
Indeed, owing to this platform of proven projects, ever-improving capabilities and an appreciation for education and social responsibility, G&P Professionals stands to excel for years to come.
Looking towards the future, the CEO reiterates that the company’s immediate priorities lie in further expanding the practice, its bridge engineering unit one field of specialisation that is currently in line for additional improvement.
Beyond this, however, the organisation is proactively attempting to position itself favourably for the long term, looking into the benefits of leveraging new age technologies.
See Sew affirms, ending our conversation by pointing to the need to adapt in an ever-changing engineering climate: “I think the world is moving into the digital era with artificial intelligence and big data shedding light on the future direction of the construction industry here and around the world.
“New construction materials and forms, such as lightweight, recycled materials and industrial building system (IBS), as well as industry 4.0, three dimensional printing and mechanised construction, building information modelling (BIM), new survey and scanning tools like LiDAR, InSAR, photogrammetry, mobile and portable equipment and apps will change entire project cycles, from planning, investigation, design, construction, operation, maintenance and asset managements.
“I believe the next generation of engineers will have to align and adapt to these rapid developments if they are to lead in the way of competition and productivity. Of course, for us to maintain our status in the face of these expected developments, we also need to keep pace.”
