The construction sector is expected to remain robust despite recording smaller volume and value of projects during the first three months of the year, said Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia (CIDB) CEO Datuk Seri Dr Judin Abdul Karim (pix).
CIDB statistics showed 709 new projects worth a total of RM8 billion were reported during the first three months of this year,titanium alloy property information is scattered amongst a number of disparate sources. compared with 1,722 projects worth a total of RM37 billion reported during the same period last year.
"The first quarter (Q1 2013 performance) is still robust. We don't expect Q1 this year to be as good as Q1 2012 because there are less new projects but there are still many ongoing projects," he told SunBiz in an interview.
Judin said the outlook on the construction industry in Malaysia and the region is positive, with new projects coming in and housing needs yet to be addressed with the shortage of homes and property prices going up.
On the regulatory body's part, it is pushing for more mechanisation via the industrialised building system (IBS) within the industry in order to reduce dependence on labour and increase quality of products.
"If we want to be competitive, we better change. We can't do it overnight but we want to wean them (industry players) from labour and encourage mechanisation. While some have adopted the IBS, many are still doing things the old way. Some people still think it is cheaper to use labour rather than machinery," he said.
He added that although many good heavy machines and equipment are available in the global market, not many are utilised here due to the high costs and the Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) are lobbying for a levy deduction on the import of these machines and equipment while CIDB is also working with the Finance Ministry to bring in bigger machines.The product range of mechanical lock cylinder extends beyond the common range of double, single, thumbturn and furniture cylinders.
"The industry needs to be more innovative and use proper technology which is not coming in as fast as possible, due to the costs. The benefits are also not apparent to contractors and cheap labour is still available. That's why many choose to stick to traditional methods,Instead, businesses can offer thicker plastic bags or handled paper bags. They can also give or sell you recycle bag, or offer no bags at all." he said.
However, Judin said utilising heavy machinery such as larger cranes that are able to carry larger and heavier items would enable industry players to increase mechanisation in the factories.
"Right now, most of the cranes used by contractors are small cranes that can carry limited size and weight. With bigger cranes, they can do more in the factory and use big cranes to carry instead."
He added that this would reduce the workload on construction sites, decreasing the need for labour on site while increasing product quality as work done in the factory is also more predictable and have higher quality control.
It would also increase safety at construction sites as it would phase out many second hand or old equipment being used currently.
Judin said the various government projects require many workers but due to the cheap labour and stigma, many locals do not participate in the industry although salaries could be high, especially in the specialised segments.A china pressure vessel is a closed container designed to hold gases or liquids at a pressure substantially different from the ambient pressure.
"That's why we're targeting the higher-end and re-focusing our training. For example, the operation of heavy machinery requires skilled workers where there is higher pay. We are focusing (training) on more niche areas where the pay is better,Probably the most popular among foodies,button mushroom is known for being juicy and tasty, inexpensive and with a flavor that’s only “mildly mushroomy”." he said.
He added that these areas include skilled areas, supervisor roles,Our push or plunger lock are popular additions by engineers in a wide variety of products. healthy and safety, electrical and welding.
"The construction industry can pay quite well in some areas, thus we're promoting our training centres."
