Only 23 per cent of construction sites not in operation - CIDB

CHERAS, July 5  -- Work has yet to start at 23 per cent of construction sites  in the country due to several factors, such financial problems, not being able to meet requirements for compliance with prescribed standard operating procedures (SOPs) and labor shortage.

Malaysian Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) chief executive officer Datuk Ir Ahmad 'Asri Abdul Hamid said the figure showed a positive decline compared to 84 per cent during the early phase when the economic sector was allowed to reopen on May 4.

"We are working hard and helping the government to accelerate economic recovery and encourage the developers to continue with their operation," he told reporters after attending the “Saringan Prihatin”  (PSP) COVID-19 screening programme for foreign workers by the Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) here today.

Based on a survey conducted by CIDB last month, he said, 35 per cent of the construction sites where work had yet to start was due to financial problems, 21 per cent for failing to meet the SOP requirements,  especially  on the need to send workers for  COVID-19 screening test, which involved cost.

However, he is optimistic that the problems could be overcome through various initiatives  implemented by the government, for example through the National Economic Recovery Plan (PENJANA) which also provided assistance to companies involved.

On the shortage of workers in the country’s construction sector, he said this was due to many foreign workers returning to their respective countries prior to the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO) and were not able to come back as the country’s border was still closed.

“As such, we want to encourage local workers to fill up this shortage and CIDB itself is taking the initiative to increase training and placement of local workers in the construction sector," he added.

He said that during the one period of the enforcement of MCO on March 18, the construction sector lost RM11 billion and because of that CIDB had proposed to open 13 categories of work under the construction industry.

“When we opened these 13 categories of work, the value of the loss was reduced to RM6.2 billion (a month)," he added.

On the SOP compliance at construction sites, Ahmad 'Asri said from visits to 3,210 sites that were  now in operation, 86 percent of them were found to be compliant with the SOP.

Those that failed to meet the SOP requirements, were issued warning and ordered to stop work, he added.

Works Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Syed Omar Sharifuddin Syed Ikhsan was also present at the SOCSO PSM programme which was held at the CIDB Convention Centre here, involving 700 foreign workers from 59 construction companies.

To date, 33,613 foreign workers  have undergone COVID-19 screening, of which 40 percent are from the construction sector.

-- BERNAMA