Message of Brunei Cafeo38

CAFEO 38 (2020)

Foreword by:

Ir Tuan Haji Md Zin bin Haji Salleh

President of PUJA (Brunei)

I would like to begin by expressing my heartfelt congratulation to President Professor Dr. DANG Vu Minh of the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA)/Concurrent Chairperson of the AFEO 2020 and everyone at VUSTA for organizing the 38th Conference of the Federation of Engineering Organizations. I can confidently say that ever since its establishment, CAFEO has been the most look-forward event for most of us in the AFEO family, if not all, to attend. Over the decades, we never failed to make early planning so that we can leverage on the opportunities to meet and spend valuable time with our dear colleagues and friends of AFEO, to foster better professional friendship, exchanges of information and ideas, promote the advance of engineering and professional integrity. Moreover, to celebrate the diversity of culture, achievement and success of engineering.

Amid the lingering pandemic of COVID 19 since early this year, everyone in the affected countries have to adapt to the new ‘normal’ in most aspect of our lives. Construction industry has been affected by various factors including supply chains disruption, shortage of workers, subcontractors and materials. Industries are facing short-term stress and have to tackle long-term impacts of a likely weak project pipeline for the entire industry. Engineers are facing unprecedented challenges. In the fields of biomedical engineering, artificial intelligence, automation, process control, info-communication, among others, engineers are challenged to speed and scale of innovation, research and development for solutions.

The pandemic also presents opportunities for ASEAN engineers to improve, to foster initiatives and actions among AFEO to build a sustainable and prosperous ASEAN Community. It is my greatest hope that ASEAN engineers are more united to response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the recovery of our economy and social well-being, will depend very much on collective action and talent of engineers, with scientists and medical professionals.