PETALING JAYA: The Selangor government has been urged to extend the operating hours for the construction industry to help it make up for lost time owing to the pandemic’s restrictions, reports The Malaysian Insight.
The Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) welcomed the state government’s decision to standardise the industry’s operating hours from 8am to 6pm from Mondays to Saturdays.
However, its president, Tan Sri Sufri Mhd Zin, said contractors needed to work longer hours to make up for days lost during the various movement control orders.
“There were times that sites were not allowed to operate, or the productivity of which is low due to compliance with standard operating procedures.
“Based on observation, the industry, in general, stopped work for at least 199 days, while productivity was low for about 380 days in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor,” he reportedly said in a statement.
He also said the association hopes that other state governments would consider extending site opening hours.
“With the standardisation to extend construction operating hours, it would allow the industry to be able to close in on better productivity,“ he added,
Yesterday, Selangor local government, public transport and new village development committee chairman Ng Sze Han said construction site hours would be standardised to facilitate work, in line with the reopening of more economic sectors as part of Phase 4. Any construction work carried out outside the permitted hours must have the approval of the respective local authorities.
