Critical construction projects can proceed during MCO - Works Ministry

KUALA LUMPUR: Work in all construction sites in the six states placed under the Movement Control Order (MCO) have been ordered to stop effective tomorrow.

Senior Minister (Works) Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said exceptions, however, have been given to certain types of construction work categorised in the list of essential services to ensure continuity.

The states subjected to MCO until Jan 26 are Johor, the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan, Selangor, Penang and Sabah.

“There are five categories in the construction sector that are given exemptions, namely critical maintenance and repair work; major public infrastructure construction works; building construction work; professional services or consultants and as well as other services in the supply chain such as the supply of building materials, delivery of materials and so on.

“Detailed information on the types of work allowed will be clearly stated under the standard operating procedures (SOP) of the construction sector," he said in a statement, today.

To ensure that there are no COVID-19 transmissions from the construction site to the local community, movement control of workers in the Centralised Labour Quarters (CLQ) would also be taken into consideration, he said.

“Contractors will need to provide limited transportation services to take employees from the CLQ to the construction site and back to the CLQ without stopping anywhere else.

"Therefore, contractors must ensure that the daily needs of workers at the construction site, including food and personal hygiene requirements, are fully provided to prevent their employees from having to go to grocery stores or food stalls which will lead to being in contact with local residents," Fadillah said.

Workers are also not allowed to move from one construction site to another throughout the MCO to prevent the virus from spreading, he said.

“Project Supervising Officers will have to ensure all standard operating procedures (SOPs) are fully complied with,” he said.

However, Fadillah said all companies involved in projects must obtain permission to operate from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) through the CIMS MITI portal (COVID-19 Intelligent Management System) at https://notification.miti.gov.my.

For enquiries, contact the CIDB Careline at 03-5567 3300 (Monday to Friday from 8 am - 5.30 pm)

-- BERNAMA