House buyers caution against letting project consultants issue CFs
24/03/2005 The Malay Mail

KUALA LUMPUR: While the National House Buyers' Association (HBA) lauds Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's recent suggestion that the Certificate of Fitness (CF) be issued by professional project consultants, the association cautions that there may be several drawbacks.

HBA secretary-general Chang Kim Loong said: "The Prime Minister's objective is to put in place a system of governance that is more responsive to people's needs and minimises opportunities for corruption.

"However, allowing a project consultant to certify projects could be self-defeating and could lead to more sub-standard buildings.

"These consultants are agents of the developer whose priority has long been profit first and quality last."

CFs are currently issued by local councils.

"While many developers comply with the law, not many make an effort to understand their legal obligations," said Chang.

"The errant developers are influenced by the likelihood that the overburdened civil servants and law enforcers will not be able to catch them.

"They think that even if they are taken to court, the chances of them being successfully prosecuted are slim."

He said that there was a real possibility that there could be a conflict between the objectives of the developer and the declaration of the architect.

"Because of the contractual nature of their relationship, the architect can be `influenced' to comply with the developer's demands, by way of a threat of damage to his professional reputation or the absence of future work opportunities," said Chang.

"The architect, after all, is just another agent of the developer."

Chang said the Government should not, as a matter of public interest, allow private sector interests to rule.

"Local authorities set the conditions for development approvals and are therefore responsible for the enforcement of those conditions," he said.

"Thus, they should retain responsibility for the issuance of CFs."

He said that the association suggests that local councils monitor housing projects from the building approval stage to completion.

"State Governments and local councils should provide the public with information on building approvals on the Internet," said Chang.