Proper laws needed on CCC

New Straits Times 31/03/2005

I REFER to "No more delays" (NST, March 22).

The intimation by Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting that the certificate of Fitness for Occupation (CFO), currently issued by local authorities, would be replaced by the Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC) to be issued by architects and engineers may not result in a reduction of waiting time for CFOs or cut down corruption in the system unless very careful legislation is developed by the Government.

The privatisation of building control in my home country of Scotland has been an issue for change over the past five years.

The Building Standards Division of the Scottish executive proposed that individual design professionals and installers could be authorised to certify particular aspects of design and installation.

There was general support for the executive's proposals and in contrast to Malaysia, very strong support that verification should continue to meet the required criteria relating to competence, independence and accountability.

The Building (Scotland) Act 2003 permits the design or construction work to be certified by qualified, experienced and reputable building professionals and tradesmen without the need for detailed scrutiny of designs or inspections by local authorities.

A new Scottish Building Standard Agency (SBSA) was set up in 2004 as an executive agency of the Scottish executive to develop and monitor the new building standards system, which will come into force in May 2005.

The system allows the private sector to undertake the role of a certifier but final assessment and enforcement will be undertaken by verifiers.

It has taken five years to develop the new system for control of building standards in Scotland.

The proposal in Malaysia to pass the full issue of CCC to architects and engineers will need very carefully developed regulations to maintain building standards, speed up procedures and cut down on corruption and graft.

Prof BILL HAMILTON
Department of Building Surveying,
Faculty of Architecture Planning and Surveying
UiTM