Review mechanism to appoint & monitor projects including CHKL, 17.6.2007.

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw proposes that City Hall Kuala Lumpur (CHKL) review the mechanism for appointing contractors and monitoring of projects, so that these projects will be of higher quality.

Actually, 143 other local authorities (LAs) should do likewise to avoid wastage of public fund. The culture of deliberate wastage should not be allowed to exist.

Meanwhile, CHKL must repair all projects which are of low quality, such as a pedestrian walkway with beautiful tiles that have come off. This walkway is beside the Kepong Garden flyover. It was completed in April, 2006. With the tiles dislodged in some parts, it affects pedestrians, especially the physically handicapped on wheelchairs.

Dr Tan inspected the affected walkway on 17 June, 2007. Some projects are reasonable, but some are unacceptable.

Every year, the Government spends tens of billions of ringgits on various projects. For example, after the 1971 big flood in KL, it has spent at least RM6.2 billion for flood mitigation. Still, flash floods occur. In 2003 and on 10 June, 2007, respectively, areas close to the CHKL headquarters such as the car park at the Merdeka Square and Jamek Mosque were badly flooded.

Some government projects give rise to problems because of various factors. There was leakage at the Immigration Headquarters and Entrepreneur Development and Cooperative Ministry in Putrajaya as well as Parliament Building and Court Complexes in KL. This is perplexing.

Many factors contribute to flash floods, including the habit of throwing rubbish and the delay in the implementation of flood mitigation projects. Drainage and River Management Department (DRMD) at CHKL maintains the rivers in KL. The Department of Irrigation and Drainage (DID) plans and implements river projects. If river bank collapses like the incidence at the Taman Emas bridge, behind the Kepong Town, DRMD uses gabion (granite in wire-netting) to prevent further erosion of the bank. This is only a temporary measure.

Every year, CHKL allocates hundreds of millions of ringgits for projects. But, there are weaknesses in the appointment of contractors and the monitoring of projects, so much so that certain projects experience difficulties such as the Gombak, Batu and Jinjang Retention Ponds Project that has been delayed.

Fourteen months ago, CHKL completed the tiled walkways in some places in Kepong Baru and Kepong Garden. This is good. At some sites of the walkway beside the Kepong Garden flyover, the beautiful tiles have come off. This affects pedestrians, especially the physically handicapped on wheelchairs.

The Kepong Garden flyover costing over RM10 million also has walkway, but not for those on wheelchairs. We believe that the Government should not only present the report of the Committee to study defective government buildings to Parliament, but also review the mechanism for appointing contractors and monitoring projects. We must improve the work of 144 LAs, including CHKL which should repair the above-stated walkway and other facilities for people including the physically handicapped, consistent with the objective of KL20.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw