Industry players believe that the introduction of the ‘Malaysian Civil Engineering Standard Method of Measurement’ by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) will improve project delivery.
Quantity surveyor MCM Value Sdn Bhd’s (MCM Value) president Mohd Mazlan Che Mat said the document – set at almost to the international standard – would guide the construction industry to be more prudent in planning and cost management.
“Although this is rather new to the industry, I rather be on a positive note. Normally, whatever is practised in advanced countries is the best practice, and we have no choice but to proceed and implement (to face global liberalisation),” he told Bernama in an interview.
Mohd Mazlan said the new document was prepared on the same concept and philosophy of the Malaysian Standard Method of Measurement for Civil Engineering Work, introduced in 2003, but contained thorough details of items and technicalities.
He said industry players should adapt to the new measurement standards quickly in order to face the industry liberalisation in 2015.
“This is a local standard to suit our local environment and it is up to the local industry players to pick up, polish it themselves and have a better understanding of the new measurement.
“Obviously, we have to leapfrog from here in terms of time as we are already in in advantage of having the measurement standards launched now.
“For new players to come in (after liberalisation) and go deep in understanding the measurement, it will take quite some time and I think we are in an advantage in that respect,” he added.
Mohd Mazlan said that by understanding the mechanics and philosophy behind the standard measurement, domestic players would realise that the new standard reduces risks, a crucial element in a construction project.
“The higher the complexities in the project document, the higher is the risk and pricing by the contractor,” he said.
By standardising the items and make them known to the public would reduce risk and make cost more competitive, he said.
“I think the risk element is the biggest rationale behind the standard measurement above all other considerations such as pricing, bidding and, monitoring,” he added.
Meanwhile, Institution of Surveyors Malaysia’s quantity surveyor division chairman Eddie Wong Weng Hong said the nature of the new measurement standards, close to international standards, would raise local construction companies’ operating standards if they fully complied with the requirements.
Moreover, by fully applying the standard measurement would provide sufficient feedback to CIDB to further improve on the standards to bring it to regional level, he said.
Within the Asean region itself, countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines did not have their own engineering measurement standars; rather, they were following foreign standards as a guide.
He likened the measurement standards to that of a ‘heritage document’ as it contained customary and cultural features to be incorporated in the domestic construction industry.
“The foreigners, when they come in after the industry’s liberalisation, will know that this is our local construction customs on the way we do things here, the way we measure, the way we are going to pay for it.
“When they come in, they have to follow our ways.
So, basically it’s a heritage document as well,” he said.
Wong also praised CIDB’s efforts for publishing the comprehensive standards measurement document, which had simplified engineering procedures in the consruction industry. — Bernama
