Yeo signs the pledge to reduce the number of procedures and processing time for DCP in DBKK while left, Mohammad, Yong and Sukarti look on.
KOTA KINABALU: The City Hall (DBKK) is aiming to reduce the procedures and processing time for small-scale and low-risk projects under the ‘1 State 1 Dealing with Construction Permits (DCP) Champion’ programme.
State secretary Tan Sri Sukarti Wakiman said DBKK was looking at reducing the number of procedures for small-scale and low-risk projects from 71 to 35 procedures and the processing time from 179 to 100 days.
“The indicator is an initial target proposed by DBKK and Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC).”
He said reducing the procedures and processing time for construction permits did not mean making bypasses as development or building plans still had to comply with the relevant laws or by-laws.
At present, Sukarti said approval for small-scale projects involved 71 procedures and 179 days of processing time, whereas medium-scale projects involved 72 procedures and took up to 345 days to process.
Sukarti said this when officiating at the workshop and launching the ‘1 State 1 DCP Champion’ for DBKK here yesterday.
The workshop would look at ways to expedite approval for development plans and building plans, as well as the issuance of occupancy certificates (OC).
He said the implementation of the state-level ‘1 State 1 DCP Champion’ programme was agreed upon in a special meeting chaired by Chief Secretary to the government, Tan Sri Ali Hamsa with the state secretaries on October 17 last year.
DBKK was subsequently selected as one of the four local authorities (PBT) in Malaysia to be the focus group dealing with construction permits (FGDCP).
He said the programme aimed to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in obtaining construction permits in the state with the support and consultation by the federal government, represented by the ministry of urban wellbeing, housing and local government and MPC.
Sukarti said a discussion between DBKK, external agencies and departments as well as professional bodies was held on March 25 and 26, in which DBKK decided on taking a medium and small-scale development as an initial study.
“The study aims to collect data on the number of procedures, duration and costs required for a project to move from Development Plan (DP) submission to issuance of OC,” he said.
In addition, Sukarti said issues pertaining to the delay in granting approval to development plants, issuance of construction permits and OC were still present.
“These issues cannot be taken lightly and we should identify the problems and appropriate action to be taken.”
Sukarti hoped the Ministry of Local Government and Housing could take the initiative to implement the ‘1 State 1 DCP Champion’ programme in all PBTs in Sabah to enhance the delivery system.
“At DBKK level, I hope the improvement efforts will continue to be carried out and expanded not only for small-scale or low-risk projects, but also for all categories of development to encourage industrial and commercial growth in Sabah.”
Meanwhile, Ministry of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government secretary general Datuk Haji Mohammad bin Mentek said DCP was one of the indicators of World Bank in rating the ease of doing business among 187 countries.
“The World Bank Report 2017 places Malaysia at the 13th position for DCP compared to the 15th position last year.”
Mohammad said Kuala Lumpur has successfully reduced its number of procedures for DCP to 15 procedures in 79 days this year.
“This success should be emulated and taken as the new benchmark for PBTs, particularly those in the 15 main cities in Malaysia.”
He said enhanced efficiency in PBTs and technical agencies would ease the issuance of construction permits and encouraged the growth of the construction industry.
“In addition, better efficiency will address the complaints from developers, technical consultants and the public on the difficulty in dealing with regulators.”
Mohammad said FGDCP was a collaboration between the government and construction industry players to study and implement reductions in procedure and time to obtain construction permits.
He said the first phase of the ‘1 State 1 DCP Champion’ initiative involved several state capitals, including Ipoh, Kota Kinabalu, Penang and Johor Bharu as champions of FGDCP.
He said the initiative started in Ipoh City Council in February this year and DBKK was the second PBT that launched the ‘1 State 1 DCP Champion’ and held a workshop for the purpose.
According to DBKK City Planning Department director Stanley Chong, obtaining approval for development and building plans currently involved going through more than 20 departments or agencies, including the internal departments of DBKK.
He said the workshop would enable the participants to decide on the parameters in terms of defining a project as small or medium scale, and procedures that could be eliminated in dealing with construction permits.
Also present were Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Edward Yong Oui Fah, Mayor Datuk Yeo Boon Hai and MPC deputy director-general Dato’ Abdul Latif Haji Abu Seman.