The general rules for the Tunnelling and Underground Space Technical Division of the Institution of Engineers, Malaysia are listed below. These are in accordance with the conditions specified under Articles VIII and Section VIIIA and VIIIB of the Constitution and the Bylaws of The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia.
Objectives
The objectives of the Tunnelling and Underground Space Technical Division are:
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To undertake activities related to the promotion and advancement of the science and engineering aspects of tunnelling and underground space technologies both locally and internationally
Membership
Members of the IEM in any grade may become members of the Tunnelling and Underground Space Technical Division. Membership is elected by registration with the Division and no extra membership fees shall be payable.
Committee
The affairs of the Tunnelling and Underground Space Technical Division shall be managed by a Committee consisting of the following:
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Chairman - Corporate Member
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Deputy Chairman - Corporate Member
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Secretary/Treasurer - Corporate Member
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Advisor - Corporate Member
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A minimum of three (3) or a maximum of six (6) Committee Members of which at least three (3) must be Corporate Members
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In addition, the Committee may co-opt up to five (5) addditional members of the Institution to serve on the Division on condition that these co-opted members are IEM members registered with the Division.
The office of the Chairman shall automatically be filled by the Deputy Chairman. No member shall hold the position of Chairman for a continuous period longer than three (3) years. If the Chairman is not able to serve or had not been re-elected or his term of office ends after the 3 years session, the post of the Chairman shall be automatically filled by the Deputy Chairman elected as per 3.3. The re-election of the Chairman shall be held at the last committee meeting of the Division held prior to the Annual General Meeting of the Division.
The Deputy Chairman shall be elected from the serving Committee Members of the Division. The nomination and election of the Deputy Chairman shall be made by the Committee Members at the last meeting of the Division held prior to the Annual General Meeting of the Division.
The post of Secretary/Treasurer and General Members would be elected from the registered members at the Annual General Meeting of the Division.
Duties of the Committee
The Chairman shall have general supervision over the affairs of the Division. The Chairman shall chair official meetings of the Division and also nominate a chairman for the discussion sessions of the Division. In general he shall ensure that all activities of the Division lie within the stated objective of the Division as approved by the Council of the IEM.
The Deputy Chairman shall assist the Chairman in general supervision over the affairs of the Division. He is to be elected from the serving Committee Members of the Division. The Deputy Chairman shall assume the duties of the Chairman in the latter's absence. He shall automatically succeed the position of the Chairman in the event of the latter's office falling vacant, and when the term of office of the Chairman ends.
The Secretary/Treasurer shall maintain a register of all members of the Division. He shall organise and ensure the smooth running of the activities of the Division and shall be responsible for any funds including those allocated to the Division by the Council of the IEM for the general expenditure of the Division. He shall be responsible for and shall administer all funds of the Division.
The Immediate Past Chairman shall be invited to serve as the Advisor to the Division. He shall assist and guide the Committee. In the event that the Immediate Past Chairman is not available, any Past Chairman could be invited to fill the vacant post.
The Editor of the Division could be appointed from the General Committee Members. The function of the Editor shall be to prepare for documentation and publication of useful materials that may arise out of the technical sessions or activities of the Division. He shall be selecting the type of material for possible publication.
Secretary's Report,Financial Statement and IEM Annual Report
The Committee shall submit to the Council of The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM) a Secretary's Report which shall be accompanied by the Financial Statement approved by the Annual General Meeting of the Division.
The Annual Report containing the activities of the Division which would be printed in the IEM Annual Report shall be submitted to the Honorary Secretary of the IEM not later than 31st December of each year.
The Division shall present to the Council of The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia its proposed budget for the activities of the forthcoming year on or before 30th September of the calendar year.
The budget allocated from the Council of the Institution is for the activities organised from 1st January until 31st December of each calendar year.
The financial year of the Division shall be from the dates of the Annual General Meetings of the Division for each year.
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting of registered members shall be held once a year. The agenda of the AGM shall be as follows:
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Opening Address by the Chairman of Division
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Confirmation of the previous minutes of the AGM
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Matters arising
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To receive and adopt the Secretary's Report and Financial Statement
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Election of New Office Bearers
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Any Other Business
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Address by Incoming Chairman
The Committee Members of the Division including the Chairman and Deputy Chairman shall be elected at the 1st Annual General Meeting of the Division.
Nomination and Election of Members to serve the various posts in the Division (except the posts of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman mentioned under items 3.2 and 3.3) shall be held at the Annual General Meeting of the Division, and in the form of "show of hands".
Observers attending the Annual General Meeting would be reminded to abstain from voting.
A quorum of not less than fifteen (15) registered corporate members shall be required. All registered corporate members shall the right to vote. With the exception of the 1st Annual General Meeting, in the event that the quorum is not reached after one hour of the scheduled time of the Annual General Meeting, the meeting shall be adjourned to seven (7) days later at the same time and place, and whatever number of the registered corporate members present then shall constitute the quorum.
Activities
The Committee may also form subcommittees and organising committees to organise the various activities of the Division.
The Division shall organise the following activities as frequently as possible with the view to promote interest and upgrade professional knowledge and practice of Tunnelling and Underground Space as well as promoting the development of and gaining recognition of the profession in our society:
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Seminars
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Forums
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Social Functions
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Visits
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Other Activities
The Division could also hold technical discussion sessions, dialogues with local authorities, manufacturers, consulting engineers and other professional bodies. These technical discussion sessions shall be on topics related to building services which are of interest or concern to the registered members. The proceedings of these sessions wherever possible are to be recorded to enable the knowledge of building services to be disseminated.
The documentation and publications of the discussion sessions are considered an essential part of the activities of the TUSTD.
The Division may also organise courses in Tunnelling and Underground Space for its members.
Publications
The medium for publications of the technical discussion sessions shall be the Bulletin of The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia or where appropriate the Journal of the IEM.
Suspension And Dissolution
The Division should meet at least once in every three (3) months with not less than six (6) meetings in a year.
If the Division is found deficient in membership, or to have failed to function in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Institution, or to have conducted its business in such a manner as shall be considered by the Council to be detrimental to the interests of the Institution, the Council of the Institution shall have the power to suspend or disband any Division on sixty days' notice or, for cause, remove from office at any time any member of the Committee of such Division.
Upon such decision, the Division shall be served with a notice of suspension or dissolution as appropriate. On notice of suspension or dissolution being received, such Division shall cease all activities in the name of The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia until the suspension is resolved by the Council. On receipt of a notice of dissolution, this Division shall take such steps provided for in its Rules to wind up its affairs within three months of the date of such notice or within such extended period as shall be approved by the Council. The Division shall discharge all its debts and liabilities and shall return the remaining funds, if any, to the Institution.