KUALA LUMPUR: The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) has immediately retracted its "quality guidebook" for homeowners to prevent any misunderstandings.
CIDB previously had published the Quality Guidebook for Homeowners in 2014 to raise awareness about workmanship quality in building construction.
The guidebook aimed to educate homeowners while promoting the adoption of the Quality Assessment System for Building Construction Work (QLASSIC), which is governed by the Construction Industry Standard (CIS 7).
However, CIDB said over time, the information in the guidebook has been misinterpreted as a defect specification, leading to widespread confusion.
It noted that any existing copies or citations from the guidebook are hence rendered unusable and void.
"It is important to note that this decision does not impact CIS 7, which remains the primary independent standard used for assessing and evaluating the quality of workmanship in building projects under QLASSIC.
"The QLASSIC assessment system covers architectural finishes, basic mechanical and electrical (M&E) fittings and external works through field testing, and sampling.
"The CIS 7 document explicitly states that the standard is intended solely for quality rating purposes and is not to be used as a specification for defects," it said in a statement today.
CIDB also said QLASSIC assessments are not meant to be used for single unit housing.
Instead, it is used to gauge the overall quality of workmanship of a particular housing development through quality assessment done by random sampling.
"However, taking into consideration the concern of home buyers on workmanship quality, a committee consisting of industry stakeholders will be formed immediately to develop standard guidelines on workmanship," it said.