Ipoh: The success of projects managed by the Public Works Department (JKR) cannot be solely judged by their completion ahead of schedule, but must also meet the specified period, cost, and quality standards, emphasized Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi. He highlighted the importance for contractors to prioritize these three aspects to avoid delays, quality issues, or projects being labeled as sick.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Minister Nanta Linggi stated that a project is not truly ahead of time if there are quality issues. "Ahead of time means that it must be achieved within the set cost and also within the set quality specifications. Then it is really ahead of time," he explained. These remarks were made following his address at the Handing Over of the Letter of Acceptance (SST) and the Letter of Appointment of the Superintendent Officer for the Perak police contingent headquarters (IPK) and housing construction project.
Nanta further outlined that the Ministry of Works (KKR) and JKR have established key performance indicators (KPIs) aimed at eliminating sick and abandoned projects. Additionally, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and guidelines are in place to closely monitor project execution. The Works Ministry is actively working to reduce the occurrence of sick projects, which has already shown a decline from five per cent to 4.13 per cent, as stated by Deputy Minister of Works Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Maslan.
In a related development, Nanta announced that the Perak IPK and housing construction project, valued at approximately RM366 million, will be carried out over 42 months, with completion expected by February 2030. The strategic project, under the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN), will be developed by Serada Realty Sdn Bhd on a 25-hectare site adjacent to Bulatan Sultan Azlan Shah.
In his speech, Nanta urged contractors who received SST to execute their duties with integrity, responsibility, and commitment. He stressed the importance of adhering to project specifications to achieve the highest quality level within the designated timeframe. Moreover, he highlighted the role of the superintending officer in actively monitoring work progress, identifying on-site issues, and implementing immediate corrective measures to ensure project schedules and performance remain unaffected.
The KKR also noted in a statement that the existing Perak IPK complex, which is 58 years old, is in a deteriorated state and no longer economically feasible to fully renovate. The new complex aims to enhance the effectiveness of Perak PDRM's security functions and control, which is expected to reduce the crime index by five per cent annually and improve police response time from 15 minutes to 10 minutes.