KUALA LUMPUR: The contractor who was awarded the Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Nabalu, Tuaran construction project is facing a complicated predicament when the Ministry of Education (MOE) issued a ‘stop work’ order for the project that has reached 30 per cent completion.
Senator Datuk Chin Su Phin said, the MOE had awarded the project to the contractor without waiting for result of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) study of the site.
As the project neared 30 per cent completion, the MOE issued a ‘stop work’ order as the EIA study has found that the site was not suitable to build a school.
Chin said, more problems arose when the MOE failed to decide or officially inform the contractor on the status of the project, whether it would be continued, cancelled or relocated to a new site for over nine months since the stop work order was issued.
As a result, the contractor now has to bear a monthly fine of RM15,000 imposed by the bank as the advance bond for the project has expired, and also because the MOE had yet to issue a release letter to the contractor.
Chin said this during a debate on the Yayasan Guru Tun Hussein Onn 2014 Bill at the Dewan Negara here recently.
Chin appealed to the MOE to look into its project management, especially on the issues faced by contractors in Sabah.
He pointed out that contractors were often blamed for the delay or failure to complete projects on schedule, but many of the problems were caused by weaknesses and bureaucracy in the MOE.
Chin said the MOE officials assigned to oversee the SMK Nabalu project were changed frequently, which meant that new officers in charge would have to take time to understand the status and problems of the project. This in turn slows down the decision making process and action by the MOE, he said.
“This problem is not only faced by the contractor (of SMK Nabalu), but also by many other contractors who undertake projects under the MOE.
“The MOE’s delay in making decisions and issuing instructions has resulted in many projects failing to be completed on schedule.”
If these problems persist, Chin said, the ministry would have to pay more compensation to the contractor involved, resulting in greater financial burden to be borne by the MOE. The ministry could also face legal action by contractors, he said.
“I urge the MOE to improve the efficiency of its staff immediately so that all the projects can be carried out well. Overcoming inefficiencies will also save a lot of taxpayers’ money,” he said.
On the Yayasan Guru Tun Hussein Onn 2014 Bill, Chin sought clarification from the Education Minister whether the foundation would provide assistance to teachers who pursue their studies to higher levels, the total amount of allocation and the number of teachers who would benefit from the assistance.
Chin also requested the Education Minister to explain the provision of scholarships for teachers’ children under the foundation, whether the scholarships would be available for public and private higher learning institutions, as well as the allocation for those who wish to pursue their studies overseas.