The press today reports of the “crack-up” of another spanking new government building – the ceiling collapse of the RM450 million Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in Sungai Petani which fell in two separate areas yesterday and on Saturday.
The New Straits Times story, “Hospital’s ceiling collapses” reported:
“In both the incidents, 28 ceiling panels came crashing down but no one was injured.
“On Saturday, 12 pieces collapsed at the men’s ward, about 1.45pm.
“Fortunately, the panels did not hit the four patients in the ward, recovering from post-surgery.
“The same day, eight panels fell at the lobby.
“At noon yesterday, eight panels fell into the pantry of the children’s nursery and intensive care unit.
“The pantry was vacant when the incident happened.”
It was clearly a fantastic run of luck that nobody was injured in the rain of ceiling panels — but no one should bank on such luck in future misadventures.
The Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital “crack-up” is the latest in a lengthening list of “crack-ups” of new government buildings, led by mammoth structures in the brand-new administrative capital of Putrajaya, followed by mishaps in Parliament after RM100 million renovation and the RM270 million world’s second largest court complex in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur.
It was only a week ago that the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced a RM8 billion hike in civil service salaries and allowances — but it now seemed so distant, overwhelmed by one government mishap after another, that Malaysians are asking whether it is turning out to be a RM8 billion grand cover-up of government scandals and foul-ups of the public service delivery system.
It is most shocking that even Members of Parliament on the Dewan Rakyat House Committee responsible for the physical condition of Parliament are quite indifferent about the many deplorable problems of Parliament House — roof leaking and even fire risks from short circuit despite a RM100 million renovation two years ago.
The sole Opposition MP on the House Committee, Tan Kok Wai (DAP — Cheras) had last Monday written to the Speaker, Tan Sri Ramli Ngah as Chairman of the House Committee asking for a House Committee meeting to discuss matters concerning Parliament’s leaky roofs, wiring, details of the building’s renovation and upgrading, its progress and the contractor’s inefficiency.
But no meeting of the House Committee has been convened.
The other members of the House Committee apart from the Speaker and Kok Wai are all from the Barisan Nasional: the Chairman of Barisan Nasional Backbenchers Club, Dato Raja Ahmad Zainudin bin Raja Omar (BN — Larut); P. Komala Dewi (Kapar), Datuk Goh Siow Huat (BN – Rasah), Datuk Wan Junaidi bin Tuanku Jaafar (Santubong) and Datuk Suhaili bin Abdul Rahman (Labuan).
These five BN MPs of the Dewan Rakyat House Committee should resign from the Committee if they are not in the least bothered about the scandals of leaking roof, fire hazards and other mishaps in Parliament despite RM100 million renovation.
On two consecutive days on May 9 and 10, I had asked whether a certificate for fitness for occupation (CF) had been issued for the second largest court complex in the world in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur in view of its many mishaps, and if so when.
If no CF was issued, why was the court complex allowed to be used; and if there was CF, whether actions would be taken against those who had been so negligent as to issue the CF when there are still so many defects, including structural ones, which had to be rectified?
Two days ago, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall mayor Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan told Berita Harian that CF had not been issued for the court complex.
Today’s Sun carried a front-page story, “CF not required”, quoting the Minister for Local Government and Housing Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting and Persatuan Arkitek Malaysia President Dr. Tan Loke Mun which seemed to advance the argument that there is no legal requirement for government buildings to have CF before they are occupied and that the onus is on the Works Ministry’s Public Works Department (PWD) to ensure the buildings are safe and meet specifications.
This has opened a can of worms for the 50th Merdeka Anniversary celebrations just two months away.
Firstly, this means that the PWD and the Works Minister, Datuk Seri Samy Vellu must be held directly and fully responsible for the torrent of mishaps in the world’s second largest court complex since it went operational four weeks ago — strengthening the public demand that heads must roll for such shocking incompetence and ineptitude as to make both the judiciary and the nation the latest international laughing stocks.
Secondly, are Ka Ting and Loke Mun right that there is no legal requirement and therefore no need for CFs for government buildings? What surety and guarantee are there that all these new government buildings are really safe for use and that members of the public are fully insured for any injuries in the event of mishaps? The public must be wondering how safe they are when they visit all the spanking new palatial Ministries in Putrajaya!
Thirdly, the claim that government buildings do not need CFs flatly contradicts the assurance given by the President of Putrajaya Corporation, Tan Sri Samsudin Osman, that all buildings in Putrajaya were issued with certificates of fitness (CFs) — contrary to claims that some government departments moved into Putrajaya before they were issued.
Samsudin said in a statement which appeared in New Straits Times 16.4.07 that “the buildings would not be occupied if a CF had not been issued”.
He said however when some clients were eager to move in quickly, temporary certificates of fitness (TCFs) were issued, examples being the Immigration Department which moved into Putrajaya in 2004.
He said: “Back then, a few buildings were issued TCFs but we ensured that they completed all the critical repairs before the proper CFs were issued”.
Samsudin was the former Chief Secretary. Could he be wrong?
The latest CFs imbroglio, demonstrating considerable confusion and ignorance among Ministers and top government officers about basic government rules, regulations and requirements, can only plunge public confidence in the efficiency, effectiveness and professionalism of the Cabinet and government to a new low — fortifying the indictment of former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad of a “half-past six Cabinet” and administration!
Can the Cabinet on Wednesday restore public confidence and close the can of worms opened up by the CF controversy?
Let the Cabinet make clear on Wednesday whether CFs are required for new government buildings before they are occupied.
However, regardless of whether new government buildings require CFs, the Cabinet should make public a full list of all new government buildings in the past 10 years, better still 20 years, which had been occupied without any CF, and their present status.
MIC Deranged Samy has no choice but to resign and ride into the sunset. We are smart intelligent People of Malaysia knows what is going on..The construction sector knows what is going on. The government thinks we all are dumb to know what is going on.
We all know what needs to be done and who to be accountable for, but will the government do it? So much money wasted at the expense of the Poor Rakyat. It is a great waste to the nation…
The time is ripe now to introduce a proper dress-code for gov buildings. SAFETY HELMET, RAINCOAT and SAFETY BOOT. Torchlight can be optional for now.
Making fortune by creating problems. It is MSIAN DREAM!!!
hmmm… that is quite true… nice business idea. set up a stall outside every new gov building to rent out safety helmets, raincoats, safety boots, flash lights, manual powered radios and maybe oxygen tanks. can make big money…
Considering the endless stream of scandals, corruption, community tensions, severely-castrated judiciary, and economic mis-management, this BN/UMNO Government also do not have any claim for any “Certificate of Fitness” to govern.
It is not just physical infra which are collapsing, but the entire Malaysian social structures which are wobbly, and the slightest little societal vibration, like an unwelcome (to those bigots) decision on Lina Joy, will bring the whole social order crashing down like a house of cards.
Are they blind or what???
God Is Great! Skeletons are coming out of the closets. Wonder how many has their hands in the cookie jars. High cost modern building with high low quality products and workmanship. How did the developers or contractors managed to get the job in the first place. What are their credentials, expertise, experience etc.I thought Malaysia has the most strict measures and would only approve to capable companies. What are the engineers, architect and consultants doing? Did they made sure everything is according to the blueprint? Before anyone gets hurt due to falling objects, perhaps the gov should identify all the other buildings liable to have defects and place a notice at the building to warn the public. ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.
The Public Works Dept must demand from the revelant contractor(s) the immediate and free renovation of the RM450 million Sultan Abdul Halim Hospital in Sungai Petani to be completed within a specific timeframe. Failing which, the name(s) of the revelant contractor(s) would be published in the media, blacklisted from all future bidding of contracts and then sued in a court of law.
However, this will never ever happen in Bad-Awiland because sueing the contractor(s) in court will reveal how much money the contractor(s) had used ito grease the palms of politicians in order to get the contract in the first place
All those ‘shortcuts’ under NEP and politician’s interest are revealing now. I believe that those who were ‘affected’ by all these causes and incidents have got their prayer answered, especially the PATI where their salaries were shortchanged.
SAmy Vellu must resign. NOW!
PAk LAh cannot be so wishy-washy for so long, twiddling his half-closed eyelids whilst building after building collapses like dominoes.
Chua Soi Lek must also resign. NOW! So many of the disastrous happenings are taking place during his wake as Health Minister. Looks like Soi Lek has been half-asleep as well. If he can’t stay awake, he must resign IMMEDIATELY.
Its nonsense that govt buildings do not need CF. As long as people occupy buildings, there must be CF’s. If no CF need be issued, means that the fire protection, waste disposal, water and electricity trunking are not inspected for safety standards. If govt buildings do not need CF, many people need not bear the unecessary costs and expenses of renting homes while the relevant authority sits on their asses processing CF!
If thats the case, then if someone is injured whilst in a govt building, can they claim against the govt? Do they have third party insurance? This is a case of passing the buck from one dept to another. It just goes to show how transparent this useless govt really is.
Not having CF is as good as saying that the building has not been inspected for fire control, waste disposal, electricity and water trunking. AS such govt building are as good as death traps! Not a bad idea of reducing the number of civil servants BTW?!!!
the gov actually do not wanna spend tt extra RM8bil to increase civil servant’s pay but on e other hand, they need to use this excuse to buy their votes. so what should they do? collapse buildings to kill some civil servants so their salary increase can be cut. Along the way, they can stash some money fr kickbacks from erecting new buildings, inspections and maintenance or even tearing the building apart and building a new one.
I guess this problem of no CF is because there are no cronies as certified engineers to give CF. If some cronies are there, then there will be another hand to greese for a CF which is worth nothing since the building will collapse anyway. Guess they are not stupid enough to issue CF since tt person will be the one who will get all the blame.
gov write laws but break them too. let all BN MP’s sit for a meeting and have the whole building collapse, killing everyone inside… i would say that the oney spent on that building is money well spent.
Dropping ceiling panels are Durian Runtuh for some.
Ong Ka Ting is correct to say that government buildings under Works Ministry’s Public Works Department (PWD) do not need CFO under the law, that they can be self-certified (by the government’s engineers). So if there were any major design or material defect rendering government building unfit for occupation, Samy Vellu will have to answer for PWD….
What then is the ‘can of worms’ mooted by Kit when he put as caption of thread “New Government buildings without Certificate of Fitness for Occupation (CFO) in last 20 years?â€Â
What did last 20 years correspond to? Answer – TDM’s administration. What’s new about TDM’s administration? Answer – Design and Build/Privatisation!
The line of enquiry should be directed to what specifically are the government buildings which were erected under last 20 years under TDM’s umbrella’s Design and Build/Privatisation projects, and which do not have CFO(s). There’s the bigger can of worms. The reason being when construction of government building is privatized under Design/build to private turnkey developer/contractor, it’s strictly does not come under Samy Vellu’s PWD – because developer/contractor is not government of Malaysia…..
This means that private turnkey developer/contractor is not exempted from having to apply for CFO, which it has to do so from Local Authorities pursuant to Street Drainage Building Act 1974, UNIFORM Building By-Laws 1984 amongst others, in default of which the building erected could at Local Authorities’ discretion be torn down!
The worms will crawl out only if the laws were not complied with by reason of no application for CFO made in cases where:-
· due to political/crony related backing in respect of such design/build project, the employer ie Govt told/contracted with the private turnkey developer/contractor that the employer did not need CFO because it needed delivery/occupation fast;
· to apply for CFO also entailed the hassle of not only delay but private turnkey developer/contractor having to grease the various officials in relevant agencies whose approvals were required for CFO issuance.
What is embarrassing about the above if true are the following:-
1. it shows that even if the government were the employer it could not help its private turnkey developer/contractor to accelerate getting of CFO without inordinate delay unless there’s greasing which is an indictment of our public delivery system and culture;
2. but expedience cannot justify breach of Street Drainage Building Act 1974, UNIFORM Building By-Laws 1984 even if projects were backed by government.
In respect to 2. above, the whole concept of CFO is to ensure that some credible independent professional(s) certify building is constructed and completed in conformity with approved plans and specifications and safe and fit for occupation because the lives of government officials and employees are no less important! We can understand if government building was erected by government itself because Samy Vellu is responsible to get the government’s engineers to certify safety and therefore there is an accountability dispensing with CFO. But what about Design/Build Privatised Projects for govt buildings? The consequence of dispensation of CFO is scandalous as it trivialises the importance of lives of one’s own govt employees.
Of late, Ong Kah Ting spoke of CFO system being replaced with the CCC (Certificate of Completion and Compliance), which will now be issued by a Principal Submitting Person (PSP) who is a professional architect or professional engineer or a registered building draughtsman21 types of gazetted forms for different processes. For example, the structure of the building will be the responsibility of the structural engineer. He will sign the legal forms which states that the building structure conforms to legal requirements. This will be countersigned by the PSP. Then, for the laying of the pipes, there will be another contractor, who will sign saying he has done the job in accordance to specification. Once again, this is countersigned by the architect. At every stage of building, there will be a different person responsible who will sign each form. This is a paradigm shift of responsibility to private sector to improve efficiency of the process and hopefully counter corruption. The system looks good. Whether the objectives may be met remains to be seen.
One other point to be made here is the part about leaking and other defects. It is sometimes automatically attributed to shoddy materials and workmanship due to our so – called corrupt culture.
The culture may be corrupt but necessarily the materials and workmanship are shoddy. In fact to make money (owing again to the so called corrupt culture) the highest grade materials may be used because the higher the grade (especially imported) the higher the mark up but the question remains whether these so-called superior quality construction material, that is expensive and of good quality, (for eg only cast piping) are suited for our climate in terms of humidity, contraction or expansion due to temperature change ie whether tropicalised! One uses Pirelli tire with maximum steel belting inside that makes tire durable and strong for punishing use – does it suit our climate, will the steel get distended? You use Bally shoes with parawet underlay – water resistant – but rain water gets between the interstices, and the underlay opens like a crocodile mouth? What do you do? We don’t have the kind of superglue to rectify it. Just an illustration.
I still don’t get it la…is it only a Malaysian mentality or what?! Still no heads have been chopped! This is amazing.
Just take Japan, for example, they would have resign shamefully by then.
AAB has just came back from Japan, and asked tht we should emulate Japan, more rightly so, he should direct it to his cabinets member!
We are the laughing stock of the world now man.
No wonder the Klang Palace can be built without any plans or whatsoever, sheesssh, talk about double standards……
I wonder, if gov buildings collapse and people are kill, could we sue the gov? or do we sue god as samy would have us try?
Here’s a song that has been making the rounds recently about Samy the plumber, sung to “Besame Mucho”.
Besamy, besamy bocor,
Each time you spring a leak
I hear music divine.
So besamy, besamy bocor,
Yeh I’ll love you for ever
Say that you’ll always leak for me.
Dearest one, if you stop to leak for me,
Then each little unleak will take wings
And my life would be through.
So besamy, besamy bocor,
Yeh I’ll love you for ever,
Make all my dreams come true.
Oh, this leaking joy is nothing new,
My arms want to keep plugging you,
I never knew this thrill before.
Who’d ever thought I’d be
Plugging you close to me
Shouting “its leaks that I adore”.
So dearest one, if you stop to leak for me
Then each little unleak will take wings
And my life would be blue.
So besamy, besamy bocor,
Leak for me for ever,
Make all my dreams come true.
Oh this joy is nothing new,
My arms want to keep plugging you,
I have always enjoyed this thrill before.
Who’d ever thought I’d be
Hugging you close to me
Shouting “its leaks I adore”.
So dearest one, if you stop to leak for me,
Each little unleak will take wings
And my life would be through.
So besamy, besamy bocor,
Leak for me for ever,
Make all my dreams come true.
Leak for Samy for ever,
Make all his dreams come true.
Leak for Samy for ever,
Make all his dreams come true.
I have a good suggestion to all the developers in Malaysia i.e. BOT system in reverse, Gov built, operate for 1 year (after all the ceiling have fallen and replaced, burst pipes fixed, mould removed, leaking roof repaired etc) and then transfer to private company, so there’s no CF necessary and save all the cost of getting CF i.e. no need to give out lots of vouchers and kickbacks etc. ,
It is not Samy’s fault in the bigger picture, he is just doing his job by awarding the contracts to all the qualified class AAAAAA bumi companies and these companies will sub sub sub to other companies until the last one who is doing the job only can give RM0.50 job for actual RM50 job. This is the state that Malaysia is in. As i had said in another comment, bigger pay will not solve the problem, it got nothing to do with pay, higher pay will only help those below poverty line but not the big ulars, money will never be enough for them, how much is enough 1 million, 10 million, 100 million, 1 billion? there’s no ending to this, even Sultan Brunei or Bill gate will not say they got enough?
We must get our principles right first, honest income, honest living, live within our means is the way to go and go a long way until we go to heaven.
sheriff singh
good one that!
But most readers here are too young to know that tune.
Someone in KL is writing a spoof on “Malaysia Boleh” with many popular songs. Maybe you can contact them to work on the next musical?
IIANM the use of CFs is to give local councils the authority the means to ensure that all buildings like houses and other places used by the public have been built according to approved standards and to ensure order in the construction industry.
But government buildings have always been built subject to approval by the Works Ministry who do not issue CFs on completion.
I don’t know how the transaction of handing over is done so the building owner can then make arrangements for maintenance(?)
That is why many older government buildings will not meet fire safety standards.
Sorry typo error in 1st sentence last para – “The culture may be corrupt but IT IS NOT necessarily the materials and workmanship are shoddy”.
When we dont have the best people to do job, we will end up in this type of situation where everythings are falling apart and money goes down in the drain.
Perhaps we can have a contest for the government building with the most numbers of cracks or ceiling collapses or burst pipes etc and the winner would be proudly listed in that book of records. Samy (who else?) would head the panel of judges to select the winner.
This BN government has been largely on auto-pilot for the last 20+ years while the BN mafia were gouging themselves on the national coffers!
Seems like it. No, it looks certainly like it!
It is just a matter of time, when a whole building will come crashing down and lives will be lost, then Samy and rest of his possie will blame god and mother nature – just you wait and see…….
Then again, government buildings will soon have the ‘Enter at your own risk” signage to avoid insurance claims.
If OKT is right that Govt buildings requires no CF, then poor Samy is screwed. All this leaks, collapse and shoddy stuffs becomes his baby, all guns on him poor man.
maybe he is happier though……
more opportunities to cash in . . .
inspections – $$$
repair – $$$
maintenance – $$$
On hind sight, OKT has done him a hugh favour.
Potentially it’s a collaboration too.
Jeffrey wrote :
You use Bally shoes with parawet underlay – water resistant – but rain water gets between the interstices, and the underlay opens like a crocodile mouth? What do you do? We don’t have the kind of superglue to rectify it. Just an illustration.
I attest to that. Many years ago I bought a RM600 pair of Bally shoes. I wore it for 3 months during the rainy season and it became “crocodile shoes”.
Thank you Sherrif Singh for “Samy the Plumber” song. I am sharing it with all my friends. I will never listen to “Besame Mucho” the original way again.
Ong Ka Ting is a worm??
“This has opened a can of worms for the 50th Merdeka Anniversary celebrations just two months away.” Uncle Kit
Yep. All the worms are crawling out and yep, one of it is Ka Ting.
“Can the Cabinet on Wednesday restore public confidence and close the can of worms opened up by the CF controversy?” Uncle Kit
Nope. It cannot be close as it has became the cabinet of worms.
Yep. Before they used to have skeletons in their closets but now they have worms in their cans. Worms or skeletons what does it matter?
Jeffrey,
“You use Bally shoes with parawet underlay – water resistant – but rain water gets between the interstices, and the underlay opens like a crocodile mouth? What do you do? We don’t have the kind of superglue to rectify it. Just an illustration.”
Since when have you become an expert on shoes? Rainwater gets between the testicles, and worms coming out of cans. I don’t see the relevance.
We are a nation of worms. Ong Ka Ting is the mother of all worms.
DiaperHead,
I’m no expert in shoes but know enough to suggest you buy your Florsheim, whilst in US, for its more durable in our climate than Bally. Relevance between worms coming out of cans and Rainwater gets between the testicles? To open a “can of worms” is a metaphorical expression of opening to a hitherto unknown source of unforeseen and troublesome complexity : like for example getting Rainwater between the testicles especially in industrialised nations like the US in which a large number of man-made chemicals have been released into air, absorbed by rain water, and when in contact with your testicles for prolonged periods, causes unforseen damage to them by way of:
** increased incidences of cancer of the testicles;
** increased incidence of undescended testicles (cryptorchidism)
** reduction in sperm count by 50% among men;
** increased incidence of hypospadias–a birth defect of the male genitalia;
based on findings of 1992 and 1993 scientific researchers in Denmark, England and the U.S.
Wahpiang! New roofs leaking and new ceilings collapsing ahh. Made in Malaysia one ah?
What brilliant idea! Now the renos will cost $$$ and everybody gets more jobs and more chance to makan kopi lui.
KJ, now you get chance to tell Pua that the new unemployable graduates can also repair roofs and ceilings also. Just make sure they wear Made in Malaysia rubber shoes ok? Don’t want any accidents as they now turn away people without insurance in hospitals.
Dear All,
I love how this thread has developed:-
Bad buildings > No CF > Can of Worms > Shoe Tale > The Weather Forecast > Rains > Anatomy > Testicles > Cancer > Fertility > Birth Defects… > Science…
Sure has developed a life of its own… The posters here so well rounded. So, who says the Education System is bad, huh? OK, the system of decades ago was GOOD..!
Yep. Looks like Jeffrey’s latest preoccupation is not with the law of sedition but bits of the lower anatomy.
SUBANG RIA PARK – another good example of RUST for the last 20 years of more!! which can be realized from http://www.usj.com.my/bulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=17992
—-
Procedures within Government itself can easily be excused (not excusable) to skip some formal formalities. But, if a sizeable housing projects which involves thousands of purchasers, many many parties outside the the government, can still keep noisy and even “Re-Development” under the Voice of PM, experiences and warning of natural (or rather man-made) diseasters and Obligations of many departments to Stop.
A 7Ha or 30acres or 45acres of “title” in mistake, “openly” known to the public by the State, can suddenly turn in into a 70acres fascinated “mixed Development” by a Title Holder of recreation land of 7Ha or 30 acres or 45acres) fading the fact that they are reserved green area and Water Retention Ponds. The land should be fixed by Developer many man years ago and passed to either the Municipals or/and DID (Drainage and Irrigation Department) under the State from account of Assessment or/and Quit Rent collected FOR THE PAST 20-30 YEARS!!
The land for the major housing Development in that project can be traced to be an extension of a previous project owned by another Developer still in Phrase XX. The Re-Development will make the same piece of Land double the unit numbers of housing with a bait of RM15million for equipping the “Park”. However, the hidden Developer had a “proven” record of non-delivery of facilities for the past 20eyears!
THEY ARE GOING TO BE REALIZED IN THE OPEN EYES OF A “PUBLIC HEARING” SCHEDULED 15/7/2007 with the “Promotion” of those JKP and an OLD HAND who had been dealing the with project for at least the past 10years!
YES, A CAN OF WORMS WITH HEADS or Hidden Heads!!
Another estimated 400million projects that will continue to Rust the Housing Industry and continue tarnishing the Offices with violation of a great number of Rules and the Sales of Hearts & Souls, not only to come with Tearing & Sweating but POSSIBLE FLOODING if not BLOODING!!