Study Guide - Common

Source material
Based on the syllabus by BEM, candidate should attempt to compile all related source material. The material can be classified as several categories, namely:


 * 1) Acts and regulations (federal and state)
 * 2) Contract forms
 * 3) BEM circulars and guidelines
 * 4) CCC related documents
 * 5) Miscellaneous but important

List of Acts and Regulations to compile
A non-exhaustive list is available here for candidates to start compiling.

Acts and regulations (federal and state)

 * The acts and regulations of Malaysia (ENG & BM) are easily downloaded from the AGC's website (http://www.agc.gov.my/agcportal/index.php?r=portal2/lom&menu_id=b21XYmExVUhFOE4wempZdE1vNUVKdz09). Just enter the act's number or keyword to search in the website.
 * Another place to get PCE-relevant acts is from BEM website itself (http://bem.org.my/web/guest/registration-of-engineers-act-1967-revised-2015-)
 * Get the Street Drainage Building Act 1974 (BM version) here from Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan (https://www.kpkt.gov.my/index.php/pages/view/88)
 * A hidden portal "JABATAN KERAJAAN TEMPATAN" under the Kementerian Perumahan dan Kerajaan Tempatan lists all state amendments to the UBBL 1984 for download (https://jkt.kpkt.gov.my/index.php/ms/node/238). It is important to read these together with the original UBB L as there are several updates to the schedules. State amendments are generally similar, but it is advisable to choose the state that the candidate is practicing in.
 * Google is also another easy way to find the exact name of the act, or download the act itself.
 * It is not recommended to buy legal books (usually the books with solid colour covers) from the bookshops for reasons later stated below.

Contract forms

 * BEM contract forms are readily available at their website (http://bem.org.my/web/guest/bemform-1999)
 * A simple Google search can yield PAM and JKR form of contracts for download (links not shared here)
 * Unfortunately other contract forms (FIDIC) are not so easily available, although the entrepreneurial candidate can find ways of getting them illegally. However, past exam questions have so far avoided the topic of international contract forms. On the other hand, candidate can attempt to recognize key points and differences between contract types instead.

BEM circulars, FAQ and guidelines

 * If all roads lead to Rome, surely one must find it at their website (http://bem.org.my/web/guest/bem1)
 * FAQs (http://bem.org.my/web/guest/accredited-checkers)

CCC related documents

 * Everything you need to know about CCC is also found at their website (http://bem.org.my/web/guest/certificate-of-completion-compliance-ccc-)

Miscellaneous but important

 * Based on past year questions trends, topics can range from Personal Indemnity Insurance coverage, Malaysian legal courts definition to general accounting terms. Candidates are advised to assess the recorded questions independently and compile related material.
 * Another good source of legal information is through IEM-organised courses on PCE such as "BEM Professional Competency Examination Part A – Common Paper" or "2-Day Course on ‘Design and Build Contracts – Obligations and Responsibilities", both by Ir. Lai Sze Ching. The seminar notes are a good summary and textbook on legal matters. (this is not an endorsement of the speaker or the seminar, please attend at your own risk)

Compiling
Many candidates would jump on the notion that since the exam is 'open-book' format, they would bring everything they can possibly carry. Since candidates are allowed to bring printed material but not electronic devices (except non-programmable calculators), some resort to lugging travel suitcases of reference books. Others fill the exam chair and tables with more books. Below is a guide on how to actually compile materials for PCE:

1) Start light
How can you pack light if you opt for printed books and reference books that are thicker than dictionaries? Start light by printing out word-heavy legal documents, 2 pages per face, front and back. This will save you 1 page printed for every 2 pages (50% less) of the document. For the eagle-eyed candidate, try printing 4 pages per face (a whopping saving of 75%). Imagine a 200 page Act printed on just 25 sheets of paper, compared to 100 sheets if printed full sized. Less sheets, less weight!

2) Index like Google
PCE is more like a game of treasure hunt with limited time (for most questions about facts). Start by cataloguing your materials in any way that makes most sense to you. Acts and regulations should be clearly labeled with Post-Its by the sides etc. You can even create your own table of contents or keyword index. Time is of the essence, as candidates have only about 2 minutes per question for Paper 1. Train yourself to lookup any law, regulations or documents within as little time as possible. Be aware that some questions have multiple acts to refer to, which will stress-test your newly acquired skill of manual Googling.

3) Always bind loose sheets
 extracted from candidate Examination Regulations 

'''B5. Candidates may bring into the exam room any printed textbooks or reference books - material in paper form (binding) which they may wish to use during the exam. Handwritten and loose notes ARE NOT ALLOWED.'''

If you have followed step 1 and step 2, now is the time for binding. Binding printed material can be in any form such as ring, paper fastener, stapled, comb-binding etc. However the current accepted practice is 'non-removable' binding, which means candidates might be forced to tape on bindings like paper fasteners and rings as a temporary measure to satisfy the staff checking at the registration counter. Comb-binding on the other hand is by far the best method, whereby the bound book can be opened flat and materials can be added to later on (you would need access to a binding machine). Comb-binding is also allowed in the examination hall without any taping.

If you have any written notes, now is the best time to digitize and print them out before binding together. Any loose paper stuck between book pages will be removed, so check thoroughly during this step. Any handwritten scribbles in books etc. usually pass the checkers with no problems whatsoever.

Study tips
Recalling the last exam you had and how you prepared for it can be a stretch since you last left the university decades ago. However, open-book exams are rare and maybe a new format for some. Here is a list of tips tailored specifically for PCE:

1) Speed-reading
If indexing is one part of the time-saving equation, speed-reading is the other half of the equation. Speed-reading can help candidates search important key points in a jiffy. Best paired with the highlighting/ underlining, candidates can ideally find the answer faster than Usain Bolt. There are many guides to learn speed-reading on the Internet, but candidates can start here https://www.wikihow.com/Learn-Speed-Reading

2) Study cover to cover, highlight key points
There is no shortcut around the syllabus except for reading every document cover to cover. Law is a boring subject, but it pays to identify key points in the act/regulations that could be asked in PCE Paper 1. Highlight or underline clauses that states important facts such as:


 * Amount of penalty
 * Limitation of the law coverage
 * Minimum/maximum height, volume or other measurable dimensions such as in the UBBL
 * Examples provided in the law such as Contracts Act and so on

By reading cover to cover and identifying key points, candidates would be learning proactively, and perhaps commit some information to memory. As such, one would not be caught unaware of some obscure reference in the act.

3) Understand not memorize
PCE is a test of fundamental understanding of the Malaysian Law and practical application in the industry. There is no need for candidates to memorize, since the format is open-book. Always think about the reasoning behind the enactment of the act/ regulation, its effects and practical application. Discuss with seniors and peers about different situational problems and solutions. PCE-Common typically asks about funny situations regarding professional conduct, contractual problems, CCC issuance and so on.

Another way to approach the question is by asking Five Whys, and thinking like a lawyer. Use case examples as a guide to understand the logic behind the law's interpretation and that not every decision is clear cut.

4) Scour BEM's website
Candidates often overlook the wealth of information provided by BEM on their website. One should treat all of the BEM circulars as a holy book to scoring in PCE. Even the lowly FAQs and Guidelines provide interesting questions and answers that commonly feature in the exam.