PETALING JAYA: The Alliance For A Safe Community has urged the government to carry out inspections on all public buildings to ensure they are safe.
Its chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said he is making the call as the prevailing culture of infrastructure maintenance is below par.
“The poor maintenance culture could be due to insufficient funding, inadequate long-term planning, a shortage of trained staff to carry out periodic inspections, or poor awareness of the need for regular maintenance.
“Neglecting infrastructure maintenance could have serious consequences for the public and the authorities involved,” he said.
Lee added that there is also a misconception among the public that maintenance is less important than other needs.
“To change this mindset, it is crucial to increase understanding of the significance of maintenance, involve the community in decision making, and provide incentives to take care of infrastructure.”
He said the government needs to promote a maintenance culture through strong leadership and clear communications within the various departments. Involvement of the community and ensuring visible improvements are also the responsibility of the government.
“Where relevant, public-private partnerships could also play a role in implementing regular supervision by trained personnel,” he said.
Supporting Lee’s call, a private engineering consultancy technical director, Dr Govindaraju Veerappan, said based on his experience, he has noticed unqualified and inexperienced individuals being assigned to important projects due to a shortage of professionals in the field.
“Frequent maintenance would be unnecessary if quality products are used and closely monitored during construction.
“Comprehensive quality control plans should also be put in place in every project to minimise maintenance requirements.
“If the authorities properly maintain completed infrastructure, there is little need for extensive maintenance. However, neglecting to maintain infrastructure would cause significant inconvenience to the public.”
Govindaraju said there are numerous documents and personnel involved in the pre-construction phase of an infrastructure project.
“The responsibilities of consultants are well-covered but unfortunately, many people do not prioritise standard operating procedures and quality control plans, and these could lead to poor construction and post-construction maintenance.”
He said it is important to identify issues early and address them promptly to avoid negative consequences for the authorities.
He added that accountability to the public is also essential in government-built infrastructure and if maintenance is neglected, the public should promptly report the matter to prevent potential problems.
On negligence by developers, Govindaraju said: “If a project is handed over with multiple defects, and the developers or trained personnel are not held responsible after the standard two-year defect period, the potential negative outcomes could be significant.
“This directly affects the owners and the public who enter such buildings. It is important for property purchasers to thoroughly understand the sales and purchase agreement to prevent future inconvenience.”
Govindaraju emphasised that it is wise to consult a professional engineer before making a purchase. However, many individuals only seek a second opinion after encountering property damage.
He said to hold the government and relevant authorities accountable for neglected maintenance, measures such as regular audits, independent inspections, public reporting systems and transparency in budget allocation should be implemented.