This elimination of the necessity of getting certification from a local authority before a building can be legally occupied is the kind of bold move that is required if progress is to be made in cutting down red tape.

Discontinuing unnecessary procedures or removing the need for needless official authorisation is certainly one of the most direct and effective ways of reducing bureaucracy, and of eradicating the opportunity for corrupt practices.

In the case of the CFO, many administrative reforms have been attempted in the past to address grouses over the protracted delays. House buyers have long complained that it can take anything from six months to two years, and sometimes even longer, to get one. To speed up its issue, in 1996 the Cabinet directed all local authorities to give it out within 14 days.

When even that didn’t seem to make things any better, amendments were made to the law in 2002, and at the end of 2003, the Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting announced the removal of seven agencies from the CFO process as well as the setting-up of a one-stop centre to expedite approvals. Not content with that, in June last year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi directed the Housing and Local Government Ministry to study the possibility of abolishing the CFO and replacing it with self-certification by professionals in the building industry.

The Prime Minister had said then that the Government would not rush through the proposal and would only proceed once everything was ready so that the interests of house-buyers would be protected and the safety of buildings would not be compromised. Even those who have grave doubts about self-certification must concede that the Government has kept its word about not acting in haste. Not only has it taken more than one year for the idea to be implemented, but the Government has also held wide-ranging discussions with the key players.

It is hoped the the Housing and Local Government Ministry has done its homework well to ensure that the new Certificate of Completion and Compliance issued by the professional bodies complies with the Uniform Building By-Laws.

While there should be appropriate laws against false certification, the onus is on self-regulation by the professional associations. They need to tighten discipline to prevent violations of the building by-laws and the codes of professional conduct.

Architects and engineers should remember that while they have a duty to their clients, they also have a public trust to deliver buildings that are fit and safe for occupation.