KUALA LUMPUR: The Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM) has welcomed the Selangor government's decision to standardise operating hours for construction sites in the state from 8am to 6pm on Mondays to Saturdays.
Its president Tan Sri Sufri Mohd Zin said MBAM also suggested Selangor government to consider extending the construction operating hours from 7am to 7pm on Mondays to Fridays to increase productivity.
He said construction works have been affected due to Covid-19 and the implementation of the movement control orders.
"There have been times when no work was allowed at construction sites or they were operating with low productivity rate, due to strict compliance of the standard operating procedures.
"Based on observation, the industry in general stopped for at least 199 days, with about 380 days of low productivity reported in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.
"With the construction industry in Selangor allowed to fully resume from Oct 18 when the state moved into Phase 4 of the National Recovery Plan, most construction sites are now intensifying their operations to catch up with loss time to ensure their projects can be completed as stipulated in the contracts.
"However, contractors are still finding it strenuous to keep up with all the delayed construction works within the limited time."
He said the SOP that require workers to scan for temperature and check-in with MySejahtera before they are allowed entry to sites were time consuming.
"The construction sites also need to spend a time to ensure safety and cleanliness at the sites. MBAM would like to suggest to the Selangor state government to consider extending the construction operating hours from 7am to 7pm on Mondays to Fridays," he said.
He said MBAM also hopes that other state governments would consider taking similar measures.