Azlan Othman
There has been a significant increase of public complaints related to development and construction activities received by Authority on Building Control and Construction Industry (ABCi), with statistics showing a 216-per-cent rise from 2021 (249 cases) to 2022 (539 cases).
Complaints included a range of issues relating to landslides incidents, collapsed retaining walls, blocked drains or drainage and damage to access roads. The increase is enough to trigger a stricter approach that requires not only efforts from the authorities but should also be addressed and coordinated by the responsible parties.
This was highlighted during a dialogue between ABCi as a continuation of the annual ABCi Awareness Programme series at the Indera Pahlawan Hall of the Ministry of Development (MoD) yesterday.
The session was attended by civil and structural engineers registered under the Board of Architects, Professional Engineers and Quantity Surveyors (BAPEQS); officers from the MoD; as well as invited representatives from government agencies.
The first dialogue session for 2023 aimed to raise awareness, particular among engineers, regarding the importance of complying with the Building Control Order and Regulations 2014 and other regulations or guidelines, including their due diligence and responsibility in ensuring that any planning or implementation of development should be made in an orderly manner taking into consideration the safety and well-being of all parties involved, especially public and relevant stakeholders.
The ABCi and the Department of Technical Services at the Public Works Department delivered a briefing on the construction permit processes as well as issues relating to compliance and enforcement of Building Control Order and Regulations that require attention and cooperation from all stakeholders.
A similar dialogue will also be held with licenced builders and real estate agents registered with the MoD, as well as developers by the end of the month.
