by Jonathan Edward, Leong Huey Mun

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Xinhua) -- From her desk at the China Railway Group Limited (CREC) here, Chee Mun Yan carefully sorted out files about project MRT 2, the second Mass Rapid Transit line in Malaysia.

For the past few years, she has worked with her colleagues on the construction of Bandar Malaysia North station, Bandar Malaysia South station and related twin tunnels, key points along MRT 2, to manage any potential worksite pollution, with the goal of ensuring compliance with environmental protection rules of Malaysia and CREC.

Having nurtured a passion for environmental protection from a young age, Chee pursued her studies in environmental engineering, and more importantly found a home at CREC in 2016, being hired as an environmental officer.

She greatly appreciated the opportunity CREC has offered her, not only to pursue her passion in environmental matters but also in upskilling as well as gaining experience and invaluable knowledge in the construction sector.

"I have learned a lot from my colleagues and leaders. It moves very fast. Within three months you need to handle everything within the project. Also I learned how to build buildings, which is not my major but a plus, a bonus," she told Xinhua in an interview.

Chee said the supportive environment and knowledgeable colleagues had helped her learn quickly and cope with the high demand and steep learning curve at CREC, taking her from an environmental officer when she first joined the firm to her current position as environmental manager who can think quickly and adapt to new challenges of working in an urban environment with high rainfall.

"During the flash floods, the volume of rainwater is so huge that we need an emergency solution to capture all the extra volume from the rain because we cannot allow even a single drop of muddy water to flow out from our construction site," she said, adding that the team has successfully avoided any breach of environmental regulations.

Being one of the few women in her role in the industry, Chee said many of her classmates ended up working with wastewater treatment, landfill designs and noise pollution, while she herself had chosen construction, being drawn to the hands-on approach.

"We can say it's rare to see females working on construction sites. Most probably they will work in design departments which do not require them to go to construction sites," she said, adding that she was grateful for CREC demonstrating their confidence in her for such a crucial role.

For his part, deputy general manager of CREC's regional headquarters in Malaysia Feng Qingyuan, who has been working in Malaysia since 2005, said he appreciated staff who can learn quickly and take the initiative when asked to do so.

Having worked with Chee since she first joined CREC, Feng said she stood out among the others, noting her meticulous approach to work and keen eye on details.

"During my 17 years, I had some challenges as a manager in the project, as there are many things we cannot foresee. I will explain the project's direction or situation, and later if things are very urgent, I would send messages to my staff, and they can understand and find solutions as soon as possible," he said.

Feng mentioned that he was impressed with Chee's sense of responsibility and working attitude. "After getting a task, she always thinks deeply about how to finish it well. I think it's quite necessary for a fresh graduate to grow into a manager with comprehensive abilities. I hope she will be a model for many other graduates. Everyone can see that she is a good staff member in a Chinese company," he added.

The CREC has a number of infrastructure and engineering projects in Malaysia including buildings, a dam project in Kelantan state and so on. Its expertise in tunnelling and underground stations came into play when constructing the Bandar Malaysia North station, Bandar Malaysia South station and related twin tunnels along the MRT 2.

Chen Haipeng, general manager of CREC's regional headquarters in Malaysia, said in conducting projects, the company has payed much attention to boosting people-to-people bond. It cares for the career development of Malaysian employees and gives full play to their advantages. Chinese employees also adapt to the social environment in Malaysia and organize China-Malaysia cultural exchange activities.

The MRT 2 project was officially activated on Thursday with much fanfare, connecting Kuala Lumpur with the administration center of Putrajaya, currently featuring operational 36 stations along its 57.7 kilometer track, consisting of 44.2 km of elevated tracks and 13.5 km running through underground tunnels.