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Engineering is one of the professional fields which include the designing, innovating,
testing and building of machines, structures, processes and system through the application of
Mathematics and Science. In simple terms, engineering is a discipline dedicated to problem
solving. Engineering is often having four main branches which are chemical, civil, electrical,
and mechanical engineering.

The person who practises engineering is called an engineer. Engineers with licensed
Incorporated Engineer and so on. The scope of engineer is to identify a problem and develop a
solution which often creating something new in the process. However, engineers don’t just
work with machines but also deal with society.

As engineers, they may involve in negotiations, become manager, supervising a work

team, consulting clients and have responsibilities to ensure that the work is safe as well as not
damaging the environment. In other word, they have direct and important impact on the quality
of life for all people including public health, safety and welfare. If they have ethical issues or
dilemmas, it will lead to the negative perception from the society towards the engineering.

Therefore, to advance the integrity of engineering profession, a code of Engineering

Ethics and rules of Profession Conduct have been adopted by most of engineering professional
societies such as Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM), Board of Engineer Malaysia (BEM),
National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) and other else. Most of these societies have
quite similar general principles of the code of ethics and rules. This code generally has sets of
positive qualities.

One, is pertain to job or occupation like dedication and honesty. Second is particular to
the job in hand and lastly is professional ethics towards social and moral awareness.
Furthermore, it is a guidance for the engineers to ensure honesty and integrity in the profession
without any pressure and biasedness. Ethics also make sure that engineers are held responsible
for their actions, so they recognize and accept personal commitment towards the client and
employer. Thus, the engineers should understand the importance of engineering ethics and why
they should live by these codes of ethics and rules of conduct.

Code of Professional Conducts is designed to express all the ethical principles. One of
the regulations is a registered engineer acting as an independent adviser or consultant shall not
be the medium of payment made on his employer's behalf unless so requested by his employer;
nor shall he place contracts or orders in connection with work on, which he is employed, except
with the authority of and on behalf of his employer.

It means that the engineer should not take any sort payment from the client on behalf
of his employer. The rules require openness and honesty in financial dealings. According to
the code of ethics it stated that engineers shall act for each employer or client as faithful agents
or trustees. For example, as consulting engineer he/she shall not solicit or accept financial or
other valuable consideration, directly or indirectly, from outside agents in connection with the
work for which they are responsible.

Moreover, as advisors, or employees of a governmental or quasi-governmental body or

department shall not participate in decisions with respect to services solicited or provided by
them or their organizations in private or public engineering practice. In the rules of practice
also stated that engineers shall avoid deceptive acts. Being honest is a must when working
within the society, whether to the employer or client. As engineers, working for the benefit of
a number of different group of people is a common situation for them. The public trusts the
engineer to provide information that is as complete and accurate as possible. Then, it may be a
situation which threaten the engineer’s honesty and integrity.

For example, taking any inducement from other party without the knowing of employer
which is not allowed to do so as an engineer. This is where the honesty and integrity of
engineers are being test. Honesty is not simply a matter of not lying, the engineers may at times
need to pull themselves from taking any financial dealing from other party or to disclose
information which has not been requested directly. Therefore, it is very important for the
engineers especially the new engineer to really understand the code of ethics or rules and make
them as a practice to themselves.

Next, in the Professional Obligation of Codes of Ethics for engineers which has been
adopted in IEM stated that engineers should not be influenced in their professional duties by
conflicting interest. Engineers should refuse financial or other considerations, including free
engineering designs, from material or equipment suppliers for specifying their product. Besides
that, they also shall not accept commissions or allowances, directly or indirectly, from
contractors or other parties dealing with clients or employers of the engineer in connection with
However, gifts such as a personal gift from a friend or family member, winning or
receiving a promotional gift from a community business, where the opportunity to win/receive
the gift is open to the community in general or normal and customary hospitality in a social
setting are acceptable. To avoid the situation that lead to the damage the integrity of the
engineers, they especially the newcomer one should have known their scope of works so that
they know the dos and don’ts regarding their works.

They should be able differentiate between gifts and bribes. It may be difficult for the
engineers not to accept any financial dealing without employer’s concern particularly when
they having financial problem but if they have knowledge about ethics and fully understand
them, the engineers will feel responsibility in every actions they made. Despite of the engineers
themselves develop ethics throughout their works, law enforcement need to be tighten.

A strict action need to be taken to those whose give or accept bribes. The prevention
action not only form government only but employers also playing a role by keep on supervising
their employees’ works. It more or less can curb the bribery issues among employees and
employers. As conclusion, engineers must perform under a standard of professional behaviour
that requires adherence to the highest principles of ethical conduct.

We can see that in another codes of ethics stated that the engineers shall not place
contracts or orders in connection with work on which he is employed, except with the authority
of and on behalf of his employer. Its means that, the engineers must not suddenly put any
orders, rules or agreement at his own will that relate to his/her field of work at any time without
the knowing of their employers unless with power or the employers itself asked for it. So, in
order to avoid violating the statement of the codes of ethics above, we need to practice a few

One of the way is that, newcomers or freshie graduates needs to receive proper and
thorough training from senior or upper authority/management. As we all know, to be a
professional engineers, we need to develop a broad fundamental understanding of it
professional responsibilities so that we can give the best for the society. The veterans (seniors)
had actually having a lot of experience in their own fields because they had start to work early
than us in this worlds. They had deal with a lot of people from various background and also
had deal with a lot of equipment in industry than us. So, the newcomers should actually seeking
the knowledge and training from the seniors. Thus, it can help them enhance their
understanding better in terms of their scope of work, what can they can’t do. This is in order to
serve the best for the public. The engineers shall acknowledge their errors when they do wrongs
and shall not distort or alter the facts.

This case itself we can prove it by looking at Section III of the Regulations of National
Society of Professional engineers (NSPE) codes of ethics itself where it is stated that engineers
shall at times strive to serve the public interest. To have a deep understanding about the
profession, engineers are encouraged to participate in civic affairs, career guidance for youths
(senior training) and work for the advancement of the safety, health, and well-being of their
community. Engineers also are encouraged to extend public knowledge and appreciation of
engineering and its achievements and contribute towards the development of the nation. They
should practice their knowledge and skills in an appropriate way with ethical and not vice versa.

Engineers need to know that they are bound to the codes of ethics in everything they
do as an engineers. They must not violated the rules and regulations set up by the codes of
ethics. It may cause the engineers membership for any period provided be suspended or the
Council shall have the right to expel him from the Institution if the engineers was found to be
unfit to be a member of the Institution. So, to avoid such incident from happen, the engineers
need to be responsible and do the best for their profession.

Another ways to be a responsible professional engineers is that, as stated in the NSPE

codes of ethics according to the section III (3), engineers, especially the newcomers, shall avoid
all conduct or practice that deceives the public or in other words must avoid deceptive acts. As
we know, engineers must be a trustful agent and faithful to whom it serve. So, the honesty,
integrity and the objectivity must be hold tight. In dealing with the customers or client,
engineers shall disclose all known or potential conflicts of interest that could influence or
appear to influence their judgment or the quality of their services and engineers should disclose
all the information of the client and need to be kept confidential.

Engineers shall also avoid the use of statements containing a material misrepresentation
of fact or omitting a material fact. In doing something means an action, engineers need to think
back about the morale framework which consisting of the value systems. The value systems
are law, moral, ethics and etiquette. All act need to be question whether it is ethical, moral,
legal or good etiquette. This will produce a responsible yet a highly ethical engineers in this
Nowadays, engineers profession have been known by the whole world that it is a one
of the profession which helps to built a modern world. With the engineering skills and
technology, the engineers had invented lots of equipment and technology that helped in
improving the lives of many people. But the engineers as well might lead to human sufferings
such as the engineers who works as a designer in a weapon business that might help in leading
the world to a war. The engineers can also make the client , customers, employers or the people
suffer by its own engineers behaviour which is unethical.

This is why all the registered engineers especially the newcomers must practices and
follow the most important things which is the codes of ethics for engineers. This is why the
codes of ethics were created. By following the codes of ethics properly, for sure all the problem
of conflict that might be arise will be solved. Thus, we can secure and preserve the profession
of engineer as a profession that is integrity, honest and truthful. Just consider a case where a
client want to choose a company to deal with his/her project.

The client would not have chosen the company which is known to have unethical
engineers, corruption and all the bad records. Instead, the client would prefer to work or deal
with a honest, high integrity and truthful company. So, by following the ways to be a
responsible professional engineers stated above, we might produce a harmonious country
without a problem in terms of engineering fields and besides all the hazards or accident can
also be prevented.

There’s a saying said that engineering is the closest thing to magic that exists in the
world. It means that the person who works as an engineers should be proud of the profession
as we can provide the safety, health, improvement, and welfare to the publics which was stated
in the NSPE codes of ethics which says that engineers should hold paramount the safety, health
and welfare of the publics and engineers shall conduct themselves honourably, responsibly,
ethically and lawfully so as to enhance the honor, reputation and usefulness of the profession.
In a nutshell, it actually comes from the engineers personal aspect to practice the law and
regulations or not. But, to produce a successful engineers, all the codes of ethics must be

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