KOTA KINABALU 11/10/2012: Expediting the issuance of construction permit would encourage the private sector to implement more development projects in the country.
Therefore, Sabah state secretary Tan Sri Sukarti Wakiman urged the relevant authorities in the state to improve their services by cutting down red tapes and other elements that could delay the process of issuing construction permit.
He said the Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia (CIDB) last year disclosed that some RM49 billion was spent by the private sector for development projects, which is six per cent compared to the national gross domestic product (GDP).
“If no positive changes are made to the time frame, cost and number of procedures involved, we fear that Malaysia’s performance will be affected. We have to move along with other countries who are embracing modernisation to improve investment and productivity,” he said when launching the Malaysia Productivity Corporation’s baseline survey indicators workshop entitled Dealing With Construction Permits, here yesterday.
His text of speech was read by Deputy State Secretary Datuk Joseph Guntavid.
Also present was MPC deputy secretary-general Abdul Latif Abu Seman.
Sukarti said that the World Bank Doing Business Report stated that although Malaysia had progressively improved to an overall 18th place last year among 183 countries, the country slipped from 111th to 113th position when Dealing With Construction Permits is concerned.
“We need to improve our services. Take Macedonia and Vietnam as examples, the two countries have abolished over 50 per cent obsolete and irrelevant procedures and permits and their performances have improved tremendously,” he said.
Sukarti noted that there have been complaints by project developers on the issuance of construction permits, and often, the two parties will start pointing fingers at each other.
“The contractors would say the local authorities are slow, who would instead blame the applicants for not providing proper documents. It is our hope that through the workshop today (yesterday), with the presence of both regulators and those from the private sector, they would be able to exchange views to find the best solutions to the existing problems affecting both sides,” he said.
Tiada ulasan:
Catat Ulasan