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MIID REKA Session 21 on Architects Act
1967 & Architect Rules 1996
Implications of revision 2015 on the interior design industry.
LEGISLATION of the interior design
profession in Malaysia came about in 2007
under Amendments to the Architects Act
1967 and Architect Rules 1996 which
stipulated, among others, academic
prerequisites, statutory requirements for
registration and to practise, etc. Previously
represented by two independent bodies,
namely, the Malaysian Society of
Interior Designers (MSID) and Institut
Perekabentuk Dalaman Malaysia (IPDM),
efforts were initiated to regulate the
profession to merge the bodies into a single
entity in 2011 as the Malaysian Institute of
Interior Designers (MIID).
Ar Chris Yap.
REKA Session 21
Convened at the Pertubuhan Arkitek
Malaysia (PAM) Centre, Revision 2015
of the Architects Act 1967 and Architect
Rules 1996, and its implications on the
practice of interior design in Malaysia,
was the primary focus of MIID’s REKA
Session 21:
Lembaga Arkitek Malaysia (LAM),
Member, drew attention to LAM’s
circular of 19 September 2016 that
‘under Architects’ Act, 1967 (Act 117)
Part VA entitled ‘Special Provisions
Relating to Interior Designers’, “all
Interior Designers (Section 27A) and
Interior Design Consultancy Practices
(Section 27E) must now be registered
with the Board of Architects Malaysia
in order to provide interior design
services and in order to be entitled to
recover any professional fees thereof.”
Only those registered, he reiterated,
can ‘identify themselves as Interior
Designers, set up practices and be
entitled to receive fees.’
Singh Sidhu left off, the main
presentation by Ar Chris Yap, MIID
President, covered a number of
salient issues arising from Revision
includes:
a) Criteria for registration, i.e.,
degree from accredited institution
+ two years practical experience
+ passing a licensing examination
to qualify as Interior Designer.
Graduates from unaccredited
schools to be assessed separately
before registration as ‘graduate
Interior Designers.’
b) LAM can still apply interim
measures for diploma holders
(with 5 years’ experience) before
the deadline date.
c) Non-compliance may result in
work disruption and, in the case of
non-Malaysians, rejection of work
permits (enforcement through
CIDB, AG Chambers, Inland
Revenue, ROC, Immigration and
Police).
d) All reference to MSID/IPDM to be
removed.
e) Architects can practise as Interior
Designers through ‘consultancy
practices’ at a set fee via
partnership, body corporate or
sole proprietorship.
Other Related Issues
As the national body representing the
profession, Ar Chris Yap reiterated that
MIID’s priority in matters of Interior
Design practice also encompasses
issues and concerns of protective
rights and legislation, such as defined
responsibilities, code of conduct,
conditions of engagement of Interior
Designers and rights and remedies thereof
(e.g., for deferred/delayed payments,
causes for suspension and/or termination
of services rendered, etc.).
As of November 2016, 527 Interior
Designers, 21 Body Corporates, 1
Partnership and 22 Sole Proprietorships
are registered with LAM.
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