‘No specs on geotextiles officially published yet’

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Julaihi, flanked by his ministry’s officials, speaks at the press conference.

KUCHING: The tender documents by Public Works Department (JKR) Sarawak comply with the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Works and also the Ministry of Finance Malaysia.

In making this clarification, Assistant Minister of Coastal Road Datuk Julaihi Narawi points out that JKR Sarawak tender documents do not specifically allow the use of foreign products per se.

According to him, the older version of the Standard Specification for Road Works (SSRW) JKR/SPJ/1988 – forming a part of JKR Sarawak’s road contract currently under implementation – stated: ‘Materials of Malaysian origin, where available, must be used by the contractor to the exclusion of imported materials and this requirement shall be allowed for in this tender. Under no circumstances shall the contractor be permitted to use imported materials – unless he can prove to the satisfaction of the SO (Superintending Officer) that the materials are not available locally, or if available are not of an acceptable standard’.

“The use of Malaysian products is not strictly mandatory as the SSRW specifically allows for foreign products to be used – if Malaysian products are not available locally, or if (they are) available, are not of acceptable standards,” Julaihi told reporters during a press conference at his office in Bangunan Baitul Makmur in Petra Jaya here yesterday.

Julaihi, who is the assistant minister in-charge of JKR Sarawak, said the Ministry of Works had not published any official technical specification on geotextiles.

“SSRW does not state the technical standards and criteria for geotextiles. The technical standards and criteria for geotextiles may vary from project to project, and even from different areas of application within the same project.

“This is because the selection criteria of geotextiles are dependent on the ground conditions and the design requirement by the professional engineers,” he said.

According to Julaihi, geotextiles are important and commonly used construction materials in road projects in Sarawak, adding that the specific technical standards, acceptance criteria and conformance testing for geotextiles are specified under the Specifications of Particular Application in the tender document of the projects to meet specific design requirements.

The technical specifications and criteria, as well as conformance-testing for geotextiles as specified in the tender documents, are the minimum requirements that must be complied with during construction, he pointed out.

“The technical specifications, criteria and conformance testing are such that they are neither restrictive nor tailored to suit any one particular brand of product or supplier only.

“Compliance with these technical standards, acceptance criteria and conformance testing would ensure only quality products are used in the projects,” he said.

Julaihi added that geotextiles manufactured in Malaysia generally meet the technical criteria and standards.

He said when supply of Malaysian geotextiles could not meet demands and when such a condition could lead to any delay in road construction, the contractor is contractually bound to offer mitigation measures to avoid delays.

Under this circumstance, he said the SO could then approve the use of foreign geotextiles – provided that the technical criteria and standards as specified are met and conformance testing is carried out as specified.

“The use of such geotextiles is subject to application from contractors and approval by the SO must be obtained before they (geotextiles) are allowed to be used in the project – all as per specified in the older version of SSRW, which is applicable for the current projects under construction.”

Julaihi said JKR Sarawak has begun to incorporate the latest version of the SSRW JKR/SPJ/2015-S1 into its tender documents for new projects.

The new version states: “The contractor shall use locally-manufactured materials and goods as listed in the ‘Senarai Bahan/Barangan Binaan Buatan Tempatan’ issued by IKRAM QA Services Sdn Bhd and/or ‘Senarai Bahan/Barangan Buatan Tempatan’ issued by SIRIM QA Services Sdn Bhd – whichever is relevant. If the contractor fails to comply with this requirement, such materials supplied shall be rejected.

“Under no circumstances will the contractor be permitted to incorporate or supply imported materials, plant, equipment or other goods into the works or forming part of the scope of works – except those approved by the government, prior to the execution of the contract.”

In this regard Julaihi, who is Sebuyau assemblyman, said: “There is, in fact, an avenue for the use of imported materials – provided that they are approved by the government prior to the execution of the contract.”

On Thursday, Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong accused JKR Sarawak of not adhering to the guidelines as prescribed by the Works Ministry in terms of the usage of geotextiles.

She quoted her sources as saying that contractors of JKR projects had procured geotextiles from China, Taiwan and South Korea, rather than obtain those that were manufactured locally.

She also claimed that by going for geotextiles not made in Malaysia, the quality of the foundation works of the roads in Sarawak had been compromised.