KUALA LUMPUR: The government has decided to allow the construction sector to operate under strict compliance of the standard operating procedures (SOP).
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the decision on the matter was made in a Cabinet meeting recently after it was found that only less than 40 per cent of the budget allocated for the construction sector this year had been utilised to date.
The sector allowed to operate, said Muhyiddin, included those involved in the construction of roads and other public infrastructures.
"In this current situation, the (construction) sector must be allowed to operate under strict compliance of the SOP (which among others include) having all their workers inoculated.
"It is already July, (I hope the situation where the construction sector could not operate) will not be prolonged until September, which is a few months away from the end of the year.
"If such a situation prolongs, it will force the budget allocated for the construction sector to be brought forward to next year," he said during a special interview in Putrajaya today.
If the budget for the construction sector, which has not been utilised this year, is carried forward to next year, Muhyiddin said he does not discount the possibility that such an amount would be massive.
"And this does not involve government projects but also those from the private sector.
"If they (players in the construction sector) can adhere to the SOP, we will provide some exemptions for them to resume operations," he said.