Profile: Yap Kok Ming

If you live or travel anywhere around the greater Klang Valley area in West Malaysia, chances are you would have come across a project or development managed or engineered by Monash civil engineering graduate, Yap Kok Ming (BE (Hons) 1979).

Kok Ming is continuously challenging conventional engineering boundaries. His career has taken him across Malaysia on diverse projects which include roadworks, housing developments, hospitals, infrastructure, sewage treatment and even aircraft hangars. He has also lent his expertise to projects at the peaks of Genting Highlands and the shores off East Malaysia.

Kok Ming's endeavours have earned him Fellow membership in a number of engineering associations including the Institution of Engineers Malaysia, the Institution of Civil Engineers UK and the Institution of Engineers Australia. Kok Ming is a registered Professional Engineer with the Board of Engineers, the local statutory body governing the practice of professional engineers in the country. He has also sat on various committees, amongst them, the Association of Consulting Engineers Malaysia (ACEM) having served as its Hon. Secretary and its Hon. Treasurer in the ACEM Council between 2000-2004.

Kok Ming is presently a director at Arup Jururunding Sdn Bhd, and oversees civil projects undertaken by the firm. He leads the Infrastructure and Highway Sections, project-managing a wide range of multi-disciplinary civil infrastructure and housing developments.

As a civil engineering student at the Clayton campus of Monash University, Kok Ming admits he found the initial study years very challenging as he had difficulty adapting to the new culture, cuisine and climate. Finding strength and comfort by throwing himself into his studies, he eventually triumphed when he graduated with honours in 1979. He attributes his success at university to the vast cultural diversity at Monash and its unrivalled quality of education.

And how does this hardworking engineer relax from his work on concrete drains and highways? On lanes of a different kind - bowling! "I was Tropicana Club Champion once" Kok Ming reminisces proudly. He is also very family-oriented, ensuring that weekends are spent with his wife and three children.