Govt Proposal To Abolish CF Will Eliminate Bureaucracy

Bernama.com 26/6/2004

KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 (Bernama) -- The abolition of the Certificate of Fitness (CF) for completed buildings and its replacement with engineers' and architects' certification will eliminate the bureaucratic red tape impeding the national building sector, the Institution of Engineers Malaysia said Saturday.

Its president, Prof Abang Abdullah Abang Ali, felt the time had come for the government to abolish the CF as it had created many problems to the people arising from the bureaucratic red tape of local authorities.

He said in fact a building was ready for occupation once it was certified by the engineer or the architect of the particular project.

"But unfortunately the bureaucratic red tape that surfaces to get a CF from the local authority has caused delays in the handing over of many houses and other buildings to the buyers," he told Bernama.

Prof Abang Abdullah was commenting on the statement by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Friday that the government might abolish the need for a CF to be issued by the local authority for completed buildings.

The Prime Minister had said that the CF might be replaced with the certification from the engineer or the architect of the project on the fitness for occupation.

Prof Abang Abdullah said at present certification by the engineer or architect formed a vital element in the issuance of the CF process however the local authority went through various other stages before the CF was issued and this delayed the handing over of vacant property to the buyers.

Hence the government should replace the CF with engineers' or architect's certification as both were professionals with high work ethics.

Any claims over the quality of the building could thereafter be made to the engineers or architects, he added. -- BERNAMA