FAB Professor

Professor Emeritus Hijjas Kasturi

Chief Executive Officer, Hijjas Kasturi Associates

Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) has conferred the prestigious title of Professor Emeritus upon renowned architect Hijjas Kasturi during its 101st Convocation Ceremony at Dewan Agung Tuanku Canselor, Shah Alam. The award, presented by UiTM Pro Chancellor Tan Sri Zarinah Anwar, recognises his outstanding contributions to architecture, education, and national development. Born on 26 September 1939, Hijjas graduated from the University of Melbourne and later earned a Diploma in Urban and Regional Planning. He is widely regarded as the father of Malaysian architecture, celebrated for his iconic works such as Menara Maybank, Menara Telekom, and Kompleks Haji Sepang.

In 1977, he founded Hijjas Kasturi Associates, a firm that has played a key role in shaping Malaysia’s architectural landscape and urban identity, including the planning of Putrajaya. Hijjas was also a pioneer in architectural education. In 1967, he founded the School of Applied Arts at Institut Teknologi MARA (now UiTM), laying the foundation for the establishment of the Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Surveying (FSPU) and the Faculty of Art and Design (FSSR). Throughout his career, he has received numerous accolades, including honorary doctorates from leading universities and awards such as the PAM Gold Medal and the LAM President’s Medal (2023). His commitment to sustainability and the arts is further reflected in his establishment of Rimbun Dahan, a leading arts residency centre in the region. UiTM is honoured to recognise Prof. Emeritus Hijjas Kasturi’s enduring legacy as an educator, architect, and cultural icon.

TPr Ts Norliza Hasim

Chief Executive Officer, Urbanice Malaysia

Adjunct Professor Norliza Hashim studied Town and Regional Planning at the Institute Technology of MARA (ITM) and has been an active professional in the field of town planning in the last 40 years. She has been involved in nation building projects such as Putrajaya, the KLIA Masterplan, the Second Crossing of Johor-Singapore, the Greater Kuala Lumpur-Klang Valley Economic Transformation Plan and responsible for the formative days of Iskandar Malaysia. She also led a team of experts to develop Malaysia’s Low Carbon Cities Assessment Framework for the Ministry of Environment and Water and is the Adviser to the Malaysian Institute of Planner’s Low Carbon Cities and Sustainability Centre. Today, Norliza Hashim is also the Chief Executive of Urbanice Malaysia, a Centre of Excellence for Community Well-being and Urban Sustainability, under the Ministry of Housing and Local Government Malaysia; where she leads a team that focus on the implementation of sustainable urbanisation policies in cities and regions through the Malaysia SDG Cities program and shared knowledge platforms, development of innovative urban community-based solutions and through collaborative partnerships. In recognition for her contribution, she has been conferred Planner of the Year in 2018 by the Malaysian Institute of Planner and awarded as the Top 10 National Women Entrepreneur Award, Malaysia in 2014 by the Malaysian External Trade Development Corporation.

Dato’ Sr Mohd Zaid Zakaria

Chief Executive, Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) Malaysia

Dato’ Sr Mohd Zaid Zakaria is a seasoned figure in Malaysia's construction industry, holding a Bachelor's in Quantity Surveying from Liverpool Polytechnic and a Master's in Civil Engineering from Oklahoma State University. He is the Chief Executive of CIDB, boasting 35 years of construction industry expertise. He spearheads policy formulation and contractor development initiatives, collaborating closely with government and private agencies. As chair of the National Standards Committee for Construction, he evaluates and approves material standards, ensuring industry quality. Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, he led CIDB's efforts in crafting and enforcing SOPs for the construction sector during Movement Control Order periods. He is currently committed to promoting the adaptation of ESG in the construction industry as announced by the government. Additionally, he represents the construction sector in national security matters, reporting directly to senior government officials. Dato’ Sr Mohd Zaid's contributions extend to professional bodies, he serves as a board member for the Board of Quantity Surveyors Malaysia (BQSM), emphasizing his commitment to advancing standards and professionalism in Malaysia's construction landscape.

Datuk Seri (Dr) Michael Yam Kong Choy 

President (Global) 2022-2023, Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)

Datuk Seri Dr Michael Yam earned his degree in building and management studies from the University of Westminster in the UK and later obtained his professional qualifications as a fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building. Notably, he made history as the first Malaysian and the second Asian to be elected president in the 190-year history of the Chartered Institute of Building. He has a remarkable career that spans over four decades within the construction, real estate, and corporate realms, with extensive involvement in Malaysia, the UK, South Africa, and Australia. His leadership roles in distinguished publicly listed property firms garnered accolades for his noteworthy contributions.

Over the course of his professional journey, he assumed significant positions in well-recognized entities such as Bahman Consulting Engineers, the UK's NHS Works Department, Landmarks Bhd, Peremba Malaysia, Country Heights Holdings Bhd, and Sunrise Bhd.  In 2023, he was honored with the esteemed Lifetime Achievement Award by Balai Ikhtisas Malaysia for his invaluable contributions to the engineering, construction, and property sectors. In June of the same year, he completed his tenure as the 119th president of the Chartered Institute of Building, where he presided over a global membership comprising 48,000 professionals. Additionally, he relinquished his position as chairman of InvestKL Corp after successfully leading the Government Investment Promotion Agency for 11 years. Presently, he serves as the chairman of the Triterra Group of Companies and holds key roles in various investment holding firms, including the Mercure KL Glenmarie Hotel.

Dato’ Abdul Kadir Abu Hashim

Director General for Peninsular Malaysia, Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN)

Dato' Abdul Kadir bin Abu Hashim, born on September 10, 1966, has dedicated over three decades of his career to the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (PERHILITAN), serving since 1992 and becoming the Director General for Peninsular Malaysia on August 25, 2016. With a robust foundation in environmental science, his leadership has significantly advanced the fight against illegal wildlife trade, enhanced community engagement, and promoted sustainable environmental practices. His contributions have gone beyond Malaysia, bringing him international acclaim and awards. Having worked with PERHILITAN for 32 years, Dato' Abdul Kadir's steadfast commitment to environmental conservation has been crucial in shaping policies, elevating public awareness, thus establishing him as a prominent figure in the global conservation arena.

Dato’ LSr Hazri Hassan 

Director General, Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia (JUPEM)

Dato’ LSr Hazri bin Hassan is a distinguished leader in the field of geomatics, currently serving as the Director General of the Department of Survey and Mapping Malaysia (JUPEM). He holds a Diploma in Land Surveying (1991) and an Advanced Diploma in Land Surveying (1994) from Institut Teknologi MARA (now UiTM), a Master’s degree in Photogrammetry and Geoinformatics from the University of Applied Sciences, Stuttgart, Germany (2004), and a Competency Certificate from the Land Surveyors Board of Peninsular Malaysia (2006).

With nearly three decades of public service experience, he has held numerous key positions in JUPEM and the National Geospatial Centre, contributing significantly to the development of geospatial policy, mapping technologies, and national boundary management. He is a recognized expert in LiDAR and IFSAR technologies and has represented Malaysia in international platforms such as the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) and ISO/TC 211 for geographic information.

Dato’ LSr Hazri also chairs multiple national committees related to geospatial standards, land surveying qualifications, and spatial data infrastructure. His leadership extends to disaster risk management and the integration of advanced geospatial technologies in public policy and environmental monitoring. As an Adjunct Professor at UiTM, he brings extensive practical insights to academia, foster industry-academic collaboration, and contribute to the advancement of geomatics education in Malaysia.

IDr Mohamad Faisal Ghazali

Principal, Arcradius Sdn. Bhd.

IDr Mohamad Faisal Bin Ghazali is a Fellow of Malaysian Institute of Interior Designers (MIID), Asia Pacific Space Designers Association (APSDA), and International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI). He lives by his philosophy that success is the result of having vision, passion and systematic execution to achieve the desired goals. He started his career as an Assistant Interior Designer with Kumpulan Perbina Akitek in 1985; to enable him to learn about the architectural and interior design professions; then he moved on to KPA Design to take up the post of Interior Designer. He started practicing when he formed a partnership firm; Radius GSA Interior Design Consultant in 1990. Their foresight in the future of the interior design profession had prompted them to migrate to the CAD platform in the early 1990s, and Faisal introduced the ISO 9001:2000 quality management system in 2002 into the interior designing process and it's project management to prepare his firm, Arcradius Sdn Bhd which was formed in 1995 to compete in the interior design and built market.

He has contributed immensely to the growth of the interior design profession in Malaysia through his involvement in the formation of Malaysian Society of Interior Designers (MSID) and was also instrumental in the merger between MSID and Institut Perekabentuk Dalaman Malaysia (IPDM) to become the Malaysian Institute of Interior Designers (MIID) - the sole interior design institute in Malaysia. At the international level, he is actively involved in the lnternational Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFl) and is instrumental in the formalisation of Asia Pacific Space Designer Association (APSDA) where he contributed towards formulating the organisation's constitution and registration. Faisal served as APSDA's pioneer Secretary General.

LAr. Norliza Mohd Yusof

Managing Director, Clouston Design Sdn. Bhd.

LAr. Norliza binti Mohd Yusof is a prominent Malaysian landscape architect with more than 27 years of experience in landscape architecture, sustainable planning, and urban design. She is a graduate of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), holding both a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture and a Diploma in Town & Regional Planning. Currently serving as the Managing Director of Clouston Design (M) Sdn Bhd, she has steered the firm to national acclaim, with multiple Malaysian Landscape Architecture Awards (MLAA) recognising her team's unwavering commitment to sustainable development.

In April 2025, LAr. Norliza was appointed as an Adjunct Professor in Landscape Architecture at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), a prestigious position with a two-year term running from 15 April 2025 to 14 April 2027. This appointment marks a significant recognition of her expertise and impact in academia and the professional landscape sector. She is also the founder of CD Academy Sdn Bhd, which she established to nurture young talent through outreach and knowledge-sharing initiatives. As a mentor, her core competencies include sustainable landscape strategies and green project management, utilising the GPM P5 framework, which is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Her project portfolio encompasses nationally significant undertakings, including the Putrajaya Sustainable Landscape Blueprint 2035, the Kwasa Damansara Green Infrastructure Masterplan, and the National Landscape Guidelines. Actively engaged as a speaker, advisor, and industry advocate, she also serves as the Assistant Honorary Secretary of ILAM (2024–2026) and sits on academic and industry panels at UTM and Universiti Malaya. LAr. Norliza is widely respected for her role in promoting people-centric, eco-conscious design that balances innovation with environmental stewardship, keeping the industry informed and engaged.