Minister of Development Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Muhammad Juanda bin Haji Abdul Rashid during the sixth day of the Second Meeting of the 22nd Legislative Council (LegCo) Session yesterday stressed that the Ministry of Development (MoD) recognises the importance of early and continuous coordination among implementing agencies, technical agencies and utility providers to ensure the smooth delivery of development projects.
He said that such coordination involves key agencies, including the Fire and Rescue Department, Department of Electrical Services, Department of Water Services, Unified National Networks and other relevant agencies, and is carried out throughout the project lifecycle – from the planning and design stages through construction, final inspection and the issuance of completion certificates.
Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Muhammad Juanda was responding to a question by LegCo member Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Indera Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Suyoi bin Haji Osman on the coordination efforts, both among departments within the MoD and other ministries, to prevent delays in obtaining approvals for projects as well as delay in payment.
The minister shared, “Monitoring is carried out through project progress meetings and phased inspections to identify and address issues at an early stage, particularly those that could potentially cause delays. Factors that may contribute to delays include changes in scope, additional works requiring approval, and technical requirements that have yet to be fulfilled.”
Therefore, he said, “The ministry’s approach is to strengthen early coordination so that such delay issues can be addressed promptly, rather than being left until the final stages of a project, which could affect the issuance of the Certificate of Practical Completion (CPC) or Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC).”
With regard to delays in payments, he mentioned,”Contractors’ and consultants’ claims are monitored to ensure that they are processed in accordance with TPOR and established financial procedures. Among the identified causes of delays are incomplete or incorrect claims that require rectification, as well as the time needed to verify completed works before payment can be certified.”
In this regard, he said, “Coordination among project officers, consultants and contractors needs to be further strengthened, particularly by enhancing officers’ competency in processing claims and using TAFIS 2.0, while ensuring that contractors submit complete and properly prepared claims.”
He expressed, “Insya-Allah, these efforts will continue to be enhanced to ensure that the approval, implementation and completion of projects, as well as payment processes, are carried out more efficiently and systematically, without compromising compliance with technical requirements, contractual obligations and the government’s financial procedures.”
(news source: Borneo Bulletin ; pic source: Info Foto, Jbt Penerangan)
