Report on 63RD Anniversary Dinner to Commemorate Tan Sri Prof. Chin Fung Kee’s Dedicated Service to Engineering Education and the Engineering Profession
By Ir Dr Ooi Teik Aun, Hon FIEM, FICE, FMIArb, FMSA, FAAET
Prof Cham Tao Soon, on behalf of UM Alumni of the Engineering Faculty of the University of Malaya in Singapore also paid tribute to Prof Chin.
The 63rd Anniversary Dinner to commemorate Tan Sri Prof Chin Fung Kee’s dedicated service to Engineering Education and the Engineering Profession was held successfully with about 90 tables (see Figure 1) on 12th September 2015 at the One World Hotel Grand Ballroom One Utama, Petaling Jaya Selangor Darul Ehsan. The event was organized by The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia (IEM) and managed by the IEM Academy Sdn Bhd (IEMASB) for the first time to pay tribute to Tan Sri Prof Chin Fung Kee. The University of Malaya (UM) was founded in Singapore in 1949 and changed its name to University of Singapore in 1962 and in 1980 became National University of Singapore (NUS) merging with Nanyang University. In 1962, the UM in Kuala Lumpur retained its original name as the University of Malaya and was offering courses in Engineering, Arts, Science and Agriculture.
The evening started with the Organizing Chairman, Ir Dr Ooi Teik Aun delivering his welcoming speech to welcome the guests and to pay tribute to Tan Sri Prof Chin Fung Kee.
Tan Sri Prof Chin devoted much of his time and efforts to carrying out research in respect of the needs and the problems faced by the country. He published more than 70 technical and research papers and a book entitled “The Penang Bridge – Planning, Design and Construction”. The book which is one and the only kind giving a first-hand account of all the important aspects of the bridge is a treasure to our national engineering heritage. He was an Honorary Fellow of both the Institution of Civil Engineers, U K and The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia of which he was a founder Council Member in 1959 and President from 1966 to 1968 .He was also President of the Southeast Asian Geotechnical Society from 1973-1975 and the Vice President for Asia of the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Foundation Engineering in 1981-1985. Prof Chin was a humble man, a role model, a teacher and a friend to many who have been fortunate to know him and worked with him. He was a man of principle and integrity who has dedicated his life to excellence and service to the engineering profession and to society at large. He is remembered as one of the great engineers who have excelled in engineering practice, research and education.
