KUALA LUMPUR:
The Malaysian Board of Technologists (MBOT) has been granted leave by the High Court to challenge a decision by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) to authorise the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) to accredit courses for engineering technologists and technicians in local higher education institutions.
Justice Ahmad Kamal Shahid allowed MBOT leave to commence the judicial review proceedings after the Attorney-General’s Chambers said in a letter last week that it had no objections to the application.
The matter is now fixed for case management on Nov 6.
Jeremiah Rais and Leah Samuel appeared for MBOT in the ex-parte proceedings.
In the suit, MBOT is seeking an order of certiorari to quash a decision by MQA, contained in a letter issued in March, declaring BEM to be the accreditation body for the courses.
MBOT also wants the court to declare it as the proper accrediting authority for engineering technologists and technicians’ courses in local higher education institutions.
It is also asking for the court to order MQA to retract its impugned decision which has been communicated to higher education providers.
MBOT claims that the impugned decision is amenable to judicial review as it is illegal, irrational and was made in disregard of the provisions of the Technologists and Technicians Act 2015 (TTA).
It also says MQB’s decision to recognise BEM as the accrediting authority is tainted with errors of law.
Parliament has not conferred MQA the right to designate BEM as the relevant professional body for the accreditation of engineering technologist and technician programmes,
it said.
MBOT said Section 5 of the TTA explicitly empowers it to recognise professional technologists and certified technicians, maintain a register of such professionals, and conduct all related assessments.
Sumber: FMT
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