Balai Ikhtisas Malaysia

Shades by giant trees, BIM secretariat is housed in Bangunan BIM at Damansara Utama. This building was officially opened by Mr. John Chadwick, Director of the Commonwealth Foundation, in a colourful ceremony on February 11, 1980.

About 80 guests, among them High Commissioners of Commonwealth countries. Presidents of Professional Associations, members of BIM's Board of Management and the Executive Committee, and their wives, attended the opening ceremony and a buffet dinner to commemorate the occasion.

The building was founded mostly through grants totalling £35,000 from the Commonwealth Foundation. Costing RM240,000, the building houses the secretariat on the top floor. Furnishing, equipment and air-conditioning costs were established by a RM10,000 grant from the Barclays International Development Fund.

The second floor will soon be turned into a resource centre. The first floor is rented to Malaysian Institute of Planners while the ground floor is rented to Triform Sdn.Bhd .. a printing company. From the beginning all floors except the top floor have been rented out which provided a steady
income for BIM.

The opening ceremony by Mr. Chadwick marks the climax of the Commonwealth Foundation Director's involvement with the Malaysian Professional Centre. It was Mr. Chadwick's suggestion which initiated the establishment of BIM in Kuala Lumpur in 1973. Several professional centres in other Commonwealth countries have also begun functioning as a result of his efforts towards promoting greater inter and intra-professional co-operation and understanding among professionals everywhere.

The concept of links among members of multi-disciplinary learned societies has been nurtured by the Commonwealth Foundation, and Mr. Chadwick in particular. It was to honour his work and distinguished service to these ideals that the Board of Management of BIM unanimously voted to invite him to officially declare open Bangunan BIM.

This way, however, kept a surprise till the very last minute.The Guest of Honour and his wife knew about it when the Chairman Tan Sri J.G.Daniel called upon Mr. Cadwick to cut the ribbon. Mr. Chadwick's visit to Kuala Lumpur was also his farewell tour of Commonwealth countries and Professional Centres prior to his retirement from the Foundation in June 1980.