Being an Architect in Malaysia (1)

Yesterday I had a conversation with two 30 something young architects. They were students of mind when I was teaching at UTM from 1991-94. Both of them obtained their RIBA Part 3 a few years ago and are practicing in Manchester. They are married to each other, with no kids, and had just recently been back home in Malaysia for a 4 weeks holiday.

I end up having philosophical conversations with them every time I meet them, which is not often. The topics are often rehash of the old ones, and centered around issues, such as, 'of being a Malaysian', 'going back to Malaysia' and 'the prospect of returning home from abroad'. If I was their age, I would delay coming back to Malaysia as much as I can. In fact, in 1991, I did not want to return home but was forced to due to the recession in the U.K.

As I am 10 years older than them, and have to honour my contract to return soon enough, this is not an issue for me personally. But I was curious as how they see it. I reflected with them on the issue of the prospects of being an architect in Malaysia. I asked them this question as one of them has a brother-in-law who had decided to quit at 30 something and sell Amway products, via direct-selling and practices architecture in a part-time basis. Perhaps he has made a decision to take it easy and control his time on his own terms rather than be dictated by the whims of working for someone in an architectural practice, where it is known that one works overtime almost everyday, and even on weekends. Or perhaps there is the bigger picture of working prospects, quality of working life and deep seated dissatisfaction at the state of affairs of working as an architect in Malaysia.

I asked my two protagonists hypothetically, which of the two architects, one in the U.K. and one in Malaysia, at 30 something would have a better prospect of continuing being an architect in the industry or profession and be happy developing as an architect until he or she retires. Both of them answered, " The architect in the U.K. would have a better prospect, irregardless of where he or she comes from."

If you have been trained as an architect, partly or with a full registration, a Malaysian, working local or abroad, you probably know of many, many architects being disillusioned at the prospect of continually being an architect until you retire in Malaysia.

We reflected on the fact that in Malaysia, there may be a problem of 'politics' working in a practice in Malaysia or/and the 'lack of support' from PAM (Pertubuhan Arkitek Malaysia), an equivalent of RIBA, to help and nurture young architects working in the industry, as for example the rate of passing the Part 3 examinations (in order to be a registered architect) in Malaysia is 17 - 30 % compared to approximately 60% in the U.K. I know this for a fact because I have many friends, in Malaysia, who tried valiantly to pass this exam, for the third of fourth time, and are still unsuccessful. At the age of 40 something, I could imagine the frustration that they have to go through. One of them told me a few years ago, " I don't know what else I could have done. I thought I have prepared the best way (after two earlier attempts)..."

We know for a fact that there are architects who heads very successful practices, who do not possess a Part 3 registration from PAM. They had just decided that it is no use waiting and fighting and got on with the job they do best, and let their partners who has the qualification sign the documents of contract for the practice. It is not such a big deal at the end of the day.

But is getting a Part 3 registration the biggest issue on the prospect of being an architect in Malaysia?

I do not think so, as I had quite a few of those qualified with Part 3 thinking of having a career in teaching architecture so quickly in their prime. When I pose them 3 basic questions about why they want to teach, they had to ponder why they are making that move towards teaching. For example, one individual still have not answered those 3 questions and made any attempts to pursue teaching until now.

But the basic question still remain. I have also known people who decided to sell carpets or venture on a totally different business from being a practicing architect or related professions (being a contractor, supplier and other construction related jobs) in their mid and late 30s. Whereby, you could imagine these very same people continue being an architect in the U.K. until their late 50s.

The discussion will continue...