Tainted by graft

Tainted by graft THE SUN KUALA LUMPUR: Graft and bureaucracy are choking the multi billion-ringgit construction industry. Malay Contractors Association president Datuk Roslan Awang Chik said: "There has been not a single moment in the industry where it was not doled out (giving bribes). "From licensing, tendering, consultation, approval of projects, or from the acceptance to completion of a projects we dole out. If you hold on to your principle, you don't get the job." Former ACA director-general Datuk Shafee Yahaya, said: "It is the failure of the delivery system. Industry players are suffering because of red tape. "States, ministries and the government must give priority (to address the problem). Political will is paramount in most cases." Roslan and Shafee said this during a two-day forum on "Integrity in the Construction Sector" held at the Malaysian Institute of Integrity yesterday. Various speakers also averred that the construction industry is "extremely prone" to corruption and political will is necessary to address the scourge. They said this is because too many players are involved in the chain of works. "There is always a giver and receiver ?contractors and decisionmakers, contractors and consultants and contractors and suppliers," said Roslan. The forum was also told that the industry is fraught with delay in approving projects, uncompleted projects, poor quality of work, cost over-runs and late payments to contractors, which either directly or indirectly could be corruption-linked, reports Bernama. Industry players also admitted that the level of integrity was "rather low". Transparency International in its latest report described corruption in the sector as having reached a "pathetic level". Speakers at the forum argued that graft raised costs and lowered the quality of development and corrupt processes would leave developing countries with sub-standard infrastructure and high debts.