Trust to replace CFs, says Abdullah

The Star 26/06/2004

PUTRAJAYA: The Government plans to do away with the Certificate of Fitness requirement for new buildings and the Housing and Local Government Ministry has been directed to prepare a Cabinet paper on the plan.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said instead of CFs, the Government would rely on the declaration from professionals like the engineers and architects involved in a project to certify the safety of the building and that it was built based on its specifications.

He said this approach was part of the Government’s new policy on “mutual trust” whereby the Government would trust the private sector to fulfil its obligation, as would the Government.

“I made the suggestion to the Cabinet a month ago and I have asked Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Samsudin Osman to get the ministry to speed up the preparation of the Cabinet paper on the plan,” he told reporters after chairing the meeting of ministries’ secretaries-general at the Prime Minister’s Department here yesterday.

Abdullah gave an assurance that the people’s interest would continue to be protected under the proposed system, as the professionals certifying the safety of a building would be held accountable for their declarations.

He said these people would be severely punished if the declarations they made were found not to be wholly true.

Asked why there was a need to change the system, Abdullah said: “When we introduced the CF requirement, there were very few qualified engineers and architects and thus we had to rely on the professionals from the Works Department and other related government departments to certify the safety of buildings.

“But now there are many such professionals who can make such certification.”

Abdullah said the move was part of the Government’s plan to reduce bureaucratic red tape in the dealings between the masses and government departments, as inefficiency and delays could lead to corruption.

“I am giving this a priority because I have promised the people a better public service delivery system,'' he said.