Tier 2 Certification

***PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY EXAMINATION***
***38A.** (1) The Professional Engineer who intend to be registered as Professional Engineer with Practicing Certificate under section 10D of the Act, shall pass the Professional Competency Examination.   (2) Every Professional Engineer who intends to sit for the Professional Competency Examination shall submit to the Board the application for as specified on the Board's website and accompanied with the fee for the Professional Competency Examination as specified in Schedule III.*

The Professional Competency Examination (PCE) is the holy grail of all aspiring certified engineers, as it is currently the final test to be taken before the engineer can practice unrestricted in Malaysia. An engineer who passed the Tier 2 PCE exam is formally known as a Professional Engineer with Practicing Certificate (PEPC). The Tier 2 PCE certification is not a substitute for other qualifications such as Competent Engineer for Suruhanjaya Tenaga.

During the amendment of the Registration of Engineers Act 1967 (gazetted 31st July 2015), existing PEs had the benefit of upgrading their status to PEPC without the need of taking the PCE. However, this is not an automatic process as engineers had to submit to BEM the application documents within the grace period of 1 year, failing which they will need to take the PCE like everyone else after the grace period.

The exam syllabus mainly covers the construction industry with regards to the Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC) and is geared towards 3 main fields - Civil/ Structural, Electrical and Mechanical. These 3 fields are required by law to be certified as PEPC in order to submit to the authorities for any project. PCE for other fields is also available (Geotechnical, Mining, Chemical & Environmental), though the necessity is somewhat diminished as PEPC is not a legal requirement in some industries (Chemical & Environmental) as of writing.

PCE is typically held end of November (13th-14th November in 2021) at Bangunan Peperiksaan, Universiti Malaya (for Peninsular candidates). East Malaysia candidates have the luxury of sitting in their respective states (Kuching & Kota Kinabalu), provided there are sufficient candidates applying per sitting.

BEM organised a free introduction seminar to PCE, slides of which can be downloaded here.

#### **Examination Fees**

First Time Candidate

The fee to sit for the Professional Competency Examination is RM1,000.00 with an additional fee of RM100.00 (non-refundable) as processing fee.

RE‐SIT candidate

The fee RE‐SIT for the Professional Competency Examination is RM500.00 for each papers taken with an additional fee of RM100.00 (non‐refundable) as processing fee.

#### **Final Results and Notification**

Candidates for the examination will be notified of their results four months after the examination date. Examination results will be given to candidates on a Pass/Fail basis by post [now email]. No examination scores or marks will be given to the candidates.

*[admin note: Exam results are out typically in April, latest August due to 2020 MCO. Candidates who pass all 4 papers receive their results a month earlier, while the unfortunate ones will receive their results much later. Candidates can consider calling BEM if the wait gets too long]*

#### **Examination Appeals**

A candidate who fails the examination may submit a written appeal to review his/her performance together with a payment of RM400.00. The appeal is to be made within two (2) weeks after the receipt of the results. Late appeals will not be entertained. The result of the appeal will be sent by written mail to the appeal candidate. The findings of the appeal by the BEM will be final. No further appeal will be allowed.

*[admin note: Appeals are typically a waste of time & money and can only be applied to Paper 2 (Essay). Paper 1 (Objective) is 'unappeal-able' due to obvious reasons. Due to the lengthy process of appealing after receiving the results and the short duration left between the start of appeal until the next exam sitting, candidates are better off taking the next sitting. Hearsay describes the Paper 2 as being marked by 2 examiners with the pass/fail decision then cleared by the chairperson of the exam board. Any chance of overturning the results is therefore minuscule*]

#### **What can a PEPC do compared to a PE?**

*excerpted from BEM Explanatory Notes to Latest Amendments for REA 1967*

* Engr. Tech. = Engineering Technologist
* Grad. Eng. = Graduate Engineer

*From Table 1, the major difference between the entitlements of a Professional Engineer and a Professional Engineer with a Practising Certificate should be noted. This is because the burden of liabilities of a Professional Engineer has been transferred to a Professional Engineer with a Practising Certificate as the "Submitting Person" under other laws.*

For more information regarding the differences, please visit BEM circular guidelines here.

#### **Frequently asked questions (FAQ) *(extracted from BEM)***

1. *Chemical Engineering is one of the 4 major engineering disciplines. Why is PCE only for Civil, Mechanical & Electrical but not Chemical discipline? [update: Chemical PCE has been added]*
	* Currently, the main concern is on the building industry. Other disciplines will be included later.
2. *Will there be a 2-tier CPD system?*
	* Currently there is only one common CPD system.
3. *If the sole PE in an ECP does not upgrade to PE with PC within the 12 months’ grace period, does the ECP have to cease operation?*
	* Yes, he has to be a PE with PC to run the ECP.
4. *What is the qualification of the PCE examiners? Are the examiners required to sit for an exam to be qualified?*
	* PCE examiners are senior and well respected PEs with at least 10 years’ experience and are appointed by BEM. Questions prepared by the examiners are moderated & tested by a separate group of senior PEs also appointed by BEM.
5. *If you are a practising PE who need not sit for the PCE but you failed to renew your PE due to insufficient CPD within 12 months after the PCE is enforced, does it mean that you will need to sit for the PCE?*
	* If a PE whether actively practising or otherwise fails to upgrade to a PE with PC within the 12 months’ grace period, then he will have to sit for the PCE.
6. *For an existing PE who wants to carry out consultancy practice (sole proprietorship), does he need to sit for PCE?*
	* A grace period of 12 months will be given to existing practising PE to upgrade to PE with PC, without the need to sit for the PCE.
7. *Is a PE with Practising Certificate (PC) in electrical engineering equivalent to a Competent Electrical Engineer?*
	* No, Competent Engineers are separately licensed by different agencies such as ST, DOSH, etc.
8. *If I failed the PCE, how long will I have to wait to sit for the next exam?*
	* There is no waiting period. However, the Board has not fixed the regularity of conducting PCE and it is likely to be once or at most twice a year.
9. *Is there an age limit to sit for PCE? How about PE aged 60 years and above?*
	* There is no age limit to sit for PCE as long as you are a PE and is eligible to sit for it.
10. *Do we need to renew the practising licence yearly?*
	* Yes.
11. *Where can we find books or information / syllabus related to PCE?*
	* There are no books written on this subject. It is based on your working experience and acquired knowledge on the job. PCE will test you on design, acts, bylaws  and everyday experience in performing the job.
12. *What is the requirement for renewal of professional engineers with PCE licence? Are they subjected to re-examination or just accumulate 50 CPD points?*
	* PCE licensing renewal is not subject to re-examination. CPD compliance will suffice.
13. *Will BEM impose fee for PCE examination?*
	* Yes.
14. *Is PCE applicable to all the PEs?*
	* No, it is applicable only to those who wish to practise as Submitting Person (Qualified Person).
15. *How long is the PCE re-sit cool off period? What is the  maximum  time  duration between re-sits? What are the terms and condition for new PE to sit for the exam? When will the exam start?*
	* There is no time duration requirement between re-sits. PCE may be conducted once or twice a year. It will start after the Act is gazetted.
16. *Is there any exemption for PCE for Professional Engineer (PE) who has worked or has experience in consultancy for long number of years or has reached the age 60 years?*
	* There is no exemption. However, if you are a PE on the date of enforcement, you have a grace period of 12 months to apply to be upgraded to PE with PC.
17. *Can a PE who is not involved in the building industry sit for PCE?*
	* Yes, he can sit for the PCE provided his engineering discipline is in Civil, Mechanical or Electrical.
18. *The practice under Electricity Act is that an engineer submitting drawings must be registered with Suruhanjaya Tenaga (ST) and sit for an exam conducted by ST. Now with the introduction of PCE, can we consider this exam as part of PCE?*
	* No, the PCE is a standalone exam. Note that ST is one of the PCE Stakeholders and ST has indicated their intention of accepting the PCE in lieu of their current separate exam. Similarly other agencies such as SPAN will consider dispensing with their exam and accept the PCE.
19. *Doesn’t the automatic upgrade of PE with a PC defeat the purpose of a greater professionalism within the construction industry?*
	* When the Act comes into force, there is a savings clause for those who are already PEs without the need to sit for the exam. However, these PEs can still choose to sit for the exam out of pride.
20. *Will foreign engineers need to sit for Professional Competency Examination (PCE) or is it sufficient to use their country’s qualification?*
	* PCE is applicable to both local and foreign engineers who wish to practise as Submitting Persons (Qualified Persons).
21. *Are there many competency licences needed by a PE with PC?*
	* Only if they wish to obtain specialised licences from other agencies. Note that these agencies may dispense with their current licensing if the PCE fulfils their needs.
22. *Why do Civil, Mechanical & Electrical engineers sit for Part B for their disciplines, ie. Technical paper in the 2nd tier PCE exams? Hasn’t the first tier & their university (Washington Accord)  already  confirmed  this competency in their technical knowledge?*
	* 1st tier exam tests you only on what you know but not on what you do not know. 2nd tier exam will test you on what you do not know but ought to know as a practising submitting  engineer.
23. *Is the PCE Examinations for Civil, Mechanical and Electrical Engineers in the Building & Construction Industry?*
	* Yes.
24. *Will these engineers be allowed to also submit for the chemical, oil & gas, environmental and marine industry?*
	* Yes.
25. *Can Tier 1 (PE without PC) engineer still be able to use PE chop for other than submitting plans / approvals?*
	* Yes.
26. *Since PCE is only for Civil, Mechanical & Electrical engineers, does this mean other disciplines of engineers will be automatically “de-licensed”? Note that most drawings for DOE are endorsed by Chemical & Environmental engineers.*
	* PCE is initially for the building construction industry. Licensing for other disciplines will remain valid where there is no PCE requirement.
27. *The PCE is tailored for the construction industry. How does an engineer in Oil & Gas earn his PCE? Currently some O & G projects require PE approvals. With the proposed amendments, how will it affect the industry?*
	* O&G requirements are regulated by other laws. BEM has appointed IChemE, Petronas & MISC to set up exam for this category.

### Format and Syllabus

*(extracted from the candidate examination information book)*

#### Format

The Examination is an open book examination and shall be in two parts: *Part A and Part B*. A candidate must pass both Part A and B in order to pass the whole examination. A candidate at his/her first sitting must sit for both Part A and B together. Subsequently, a candidate who has failed Part B but passed Part A is allowed to RE-SIT for Part B only within the following three years. In the event of failure, in Part B in the following three years, the applicant has to re-sit the whole examination again. This ruling will be similarly applied to the case when an applicant has passed Part B but failed Part A. The syllabus for the examination in the various disciplines are available on the BEM website.

The Part A and Part B of the examination are as follows:

##### **Part A**

Common Paper to be taken by all candidates, which will be non-technical in nature but will test the candidates’ knowledge on laws governing the profession, the responsibility of a professional towards the general public and standards of professionalism and ethical behaviour. There are two papers for this Part i.e. Paper 1 and Paper 2. Candidates must pass both papers at one sitting.

* Common Paper 1
	+ 40 objective questions to be answered in 1.5 hours
	+ Passing mark is 50%
* Common Paper 2
	+ 5 long/essay questions of which 3 are to be answered in 2 hours (2022 changes, previously 1.5 hours) + 15 minutes to read the Question
	+ Passing mark is 50%

##### **Part B**

This will be the technical paper, which shall be on Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, Environmental, Mining and Geotechnical engineering. Candidates shall sit for the paper in the relevant subject, which they wish to practice. The Examination shall test the candidates’ competency within his/her respective field of practice.

There are two papers for this Part i.e. Paper 1 and Paper 2. Candidates must pass both papers at one sitting.

* Technical Paper 1
	+ 40 objective questions to be answered in 1.5 hours
	+ Passing mark is 50%
* Technical Paper 2
	+ 5 long/essay questions of which 3 are to be answered in 2 hours (2022 changes, previously 1.5 hours) + 15 minutes to read the Question
	+ Passing mark is 50%

#### Syllabus

The syllabus, is best obtained directly from BEM's website using the following links below:

1. Common Paper
2. Chemical
3. Civil
4. Electrical
5. Environmental
6. Geo-technical
7. Mechanical
8. Mining

### Study guide and focus study group

Study guide for each paper can be viewed below:

* Common Paper

* Civil

You can also join our nationwide focus study group and discuss exam related tips, questions and answers via the link below:

*https://forms.gle/jJJvvkSN3YoLgDQ36*

### Sample exam question and answers

**Disclaimer**

*None of the authors, contributors, administrators, vandals, or anyone else connected with this section, in any way whatsoever, can be responsible for your use of the information contained in or linked from these web pages. All the questions and answers in this section are the product of the contributors' experience and PE-PEPC WIKI assumes no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any other inconsistencies herein. Any resemblance to any exam questions is purely coincidental.*

#### Sample Past Years

* Sample 2018 PCE Common+Civil
* Sample 2019 PCE Common+Civil
* Sample 2021 PCE Common
* Sample 2021 PCE Mechanical
* Sample 2021 PCE Electrical
* Sample 2022 PCE Civil
* Sample 2022 PCE Common
* Sample 2022 PCE Electrical
* Sample 2022 PCE Mechanical

#### Answers

* Sample 2019 PCE Answers
* Sample 2021 PCE Common Answers

### Further reading

http://www.malaysiaconstructionservices.com/pepc-exam-civil-engineering-paper

### Exam day and other exam answering tips

#### Exam Day

This is a typical schedule of the exam day:

 9.00 am - 10.30 am
 10.30 am - 11.00 am
 11.00 am - 12.45 pm

A brief summary of the exam day and protocols:

* Gather at the exam hall vicinity
* Breakfast is served, buffet selection of noodles, kuih, coffee and teh tarik. Bottled water is also provided
* Registration counter is open according to Field of Examination. Candidates declare their reference material for staff inspection and is given candidate sticker. Personal belonging are bagged and handed over to be kept.
* Candidates can enter hall and place reference materials
* Exam hall opens and candidates enter
* Candidates are seated according to numbers. Candidates are given 2 tables and 2 chairs next to each other. Several pencils and erasers are given every day.
* Paper 1 Exam starts
* Paper 1 Exam concludes, candidates exit the hall. Tea break is served, different selection of buffet with similar drinks.
* Paper 2 Exam starts and concludes
* Candidates leave the examination hall. No lunch is served.

#### Paper 1 (Multiple Choice Strategies)

*Update 2023 (source BEM convention 2023)*

* *Candidates who get 17, 18, 19 questions correct for paper 1, examiner will restudy, recheck the questions and answer, see any possibility the answers are wrong / too close / too confusing.*

*Excerpt and edited from thought.co*

Read the question while covering up the answer choices. Come up with an answer in your head, and then check to see if it’s one of the choices listed.

1. **Use a process of elimination** to get rid of as many wrong choices as you can before answering a question. Wrong answers are often easier to find. Look for extremes like "never" "only" or “always". Look for opposites like a substitution of –1 for 1. Look for TRUE or FALSE. Those could be distractors.
2. **Physically cross off wrong answer choices** so you are not tempted to go back at the end of the test and change your answer. Why? You will read more about trusting your gut in a minute.
3. **Read ALL the choices.** The right answer may be the one you keep skipping. Many students, in an attempt to move quickly through the test, tend to skim answer choices instead of reading them thoroughly. Do not make that mistake!
4. **Cross off any answer** that does not fit with the question on your multiple choice test. If the test blank is looking for a singular noun, for instance, then any question choice displaying a plural noun will be incorrect. If you struggle to figure it out, then plug the answer choices into the problem to see if it works.
5. **Take an educated guess** if there is no guessing penalty like there used to be on the SAT. You will always get the answer wrong by skipping it. You at least have a shot if you answer the question.
6. **Look for wordy answers.** Unless you’re taking a standardized test, the correct answer is often the choice with the most information. Teachers often have to put as much info down as possible to make sure the answer choice can’t be disputed.
7. **Remember that you’re looking for the best answer.** Often, more than one answer choice will be technically correct on a multiple choice test. So, you have to choose which one fits best with the stem and in the context of the reading passage or test.
8. **Use your test booklet or scratch paper.** It often helps to write as your work, so write down formulas and equations, solve math problems, outline, paraphrase and underline to help you read. Use the scratch paper to help you work things out logically.
9. **Pace yourself.** If you get stuck on a question, circle it and move on. Come back at the end of the test so you don’t waste precious time on something you may not get right anyway.
10. **Trust your gut.** Definitely go back through your test to make sure you’ve answered everything, but keep your answers the same unless you’ve discovered new information in a later part of the test to disprove your answer.

#### Paper 2 (Essay Strategies)

Both Common and Technical Paper 2 contain 2 types of questions, namely - Multiple Questions & Big Single Question

*Update 2023 (source BEM convention 2023)*

* *Examiners select 3 best questions answered, in the event candidate answers >3 questions*
* *Do not exactly copy paste word by word from act, but use your own words. Examiner would like to see your understanding*
* *For 25 marks question normally expected half page answer, while 50 marks question expected to see full page answer*
* *The original answer sheet will be kept, BEM will photostat 2 copies and pass to 2 examiners. Make sure your pen ink is dark enough to be visible in the photostat copies*

*Excerpt and edited from education.com*

**Multiple Questions/ Short Answer**

* Short answer questions usually ask students to *list*, *name*, *define*, or *identify*. Therefore, review your notes and try to anticipate what information falls under those categories. For instance, if you're studying World War II, try identifying the causes of the War, defining each country's stance, and listing the repercussions. Thinking ahead and approaching a topic from the right angles can make all the difference.

* It may sound obvious, but using flashcards to study the material really does work. Put key terms, dates and concepts on one side and the answers on the other. The process of writing the information down on the cards, reading the cards, and being quizzed with the cards helps commit the information to memory.

* During the test, underline key words to focus your attention on what is being asked.

* Don't leave an answer blank. If you don't know the answer, write down what you do know about the topic because you may receive partial credit. In other words, it usually pays to try your best.

* After completing the test, go back to questions you didn't know the answer to, and see if information provided on the test helps you make an educated guess.

* Some short answer questions have multiple parts, so make sure to confirm you have fully answered all parts of the question.

**Big Single Question/ Essay**

* Determine how much time you have to answer each question and stick to it. You don't want to spend all of your time on one essay question, if there are two or more. Remember: it's better to partially answer all of the essay questions than to have one or more left unanswered.

* Underline key words to focus your attention on what is being asked. For example, an essay question that asks you to compare and contrast is different than one that asks you to summarize. Essay key words include: analyze, compare, contrast, define, describe, evaluate, illustrate and summarize.

* Read through all of the essay questions and jot down key information that comes to mind *before* beginning to write the essay.

* Create an outline of what you want to cover in your essay before beginning to write it. Remember that organized essays with well thought-out points receive higher grades, so be sure to write an introduction and conclusion for your essay.

* Use qualifying statements instead of definitive ones if you are unsure. For instance, instead of writing “Amelia Earhart died while attempting to fly around the world,” try, “Amelia Earhart *is thought to have died* ...” This leaves room for speculation, and shows that you are aware of complexities of the topic.

* Write the essay as if the reader doesn't know anything about the subject to make sure your answer is thorough. However, get to the point and do not pad your essay with unnecessary words.

* Proofread your essay before handing it in so you don't lose points on misspellings and grammatical errors.Everyone blanks while taking tests, but by preparing a plan to approach exams, students give themselves a big boost. With a sense of comfort and confidence, students are less anxious. And the more relaxed students are, the better they do on tests.

*Specific tips on:*

**Common**

* Candidates should first identity 3 of 5 questions they are most confident in
* Don't spend all the time on the first question. There are 2 more.
* Follow the simple method of "Answer - Explanation - Example" when answering long questions.
* Also follow KISS method (Keep It Short and Simple). Short answers in points form is acceptable.
* If well-prepared, throw in actual legal case examples for bonus points *(this tip has not been verified before)*

**Technical (Civil)**

* Candidates should first identity 3 of 5 questions they are most confident in.
* Don't spend all the time on the first question. There are 2 more. Don't be afraid of skipping tedious questions halfway through.
* It is better to collect marks from answering more easy and quick questions than demonstrating your design calculation skill. Candidates only need minimum 50% to pass, i.e. 2 out of 3 questions correct.
* Questions usually consists of 1-2 structural, 1 geotechnical, 1 legal/CCC, 1 hydraulics/sewerage and 1 hydrology.
* Legal/CCC & Hydrology questions are basically free marks with the least effort as compared to other questions. Attempt these whenever possible
* Geotechnical & Structural questions are tedious. Use code design charts wherever possible.
* Hydraulics/Sewerage usually have half easy marks and another half design work. These are comparatively easier than Geo & Structural too.

1. ↑ http://bem.org.my/web/guest/professional-competency-examination
2. ↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/multiple-choice-test-strategies-3212049
3. ↑ https://www.education.com/magazine/article/Test\_Strategies\_Short\_Essay/