PETALING JAYA: The construction industry in Selangor should be allowed to operate from 7am to 7pm from Mondays to Fridays, says the Master Builders Association of Malaysia (MBAM).

       This was necessary to make up for lost time owing to the various movement control orders and to accommodate additional safety procedures, it added.

       In urging the Selangor government to consider this extension, MBAM president Tan Sri Sufri Mohd Zin said operating in the new normal took up a significant amount of time for mandatory temperature screening and MySejahtera check-ins.

       “Towards the end of each working day, construction sites need to spend a fair amount of time doing housekeeping and clean-up work to ensure the safety of sites is maintained,” he said.

       “MBAM hopes that other state governments would consider the same (extension)," added Sufri in a statement on Friday (Nov 26), saying that extended operating hours would increase productivity in the industry.

       Sufri added that the industry welcomed the Selangor government’s decision to standardise the operating hours for construction sites in the state from 8am to 6pm, Mondays to Saturdays.

       “The progression of construction works has been interrupted since the beginning of the pandemic and affected by various movement control orders.

       “There were times that sites were not allowed to operate, or proceed at a low productivity rate due to compliance with standard operating procedures.

       “Based on observations, the industry in general experienced a total stop-work duration of at least 199 days and about 380 days of low productivity in greater Kuala Lumpur and Selangor.

       “Although the construction industry in Selangor was allowed to resume full operations since Oct 18 in line with Phase Four of the National Recovery Plan, most construction sites are keeping busy to maximise their operations and (make up for lost time) to ensure projects can be completed within the time stipulated in contracts.

       “However, contractors are still finding it (a strain) to keep up with all the delayed work within a limited time,” he said.