PETALING JAYA: The construction industry needs its supply chain for critical and essential construction works, but this has been disrupted since the lockdown was imposed, says the Master Builders Association Malaysia (MBAM).

       Its president Tan Sri Sufri Mhd Zin said that because of this, the government should allow those in the construction industry's supply chain to resume work.

       "Since the start of the full movement control order, the supply chain has been disrupted.

       "Quarries were not allowed to operate, supply of building materials such as aggregates had decreased, and the few ready-mixed concrete batching plants allowed to operate cannot meet the supply of concrete to contractors.

       "The allowed critical construction works that are still in operation throughout this lockdown are facing low stocks, he said, adding that if it persisted, essential construction work would not be able to continue.

       Sufri added that projects such as LRT3 and MRT will be severely affected if supply works do not resume.

       "Currently, the steel and cement players are only allowed a 10% workforce idling doing maintenance works, with no production operations.

       "Once the existing stocks of building materials are exhausted, ultimately, projects will be delayed or temporarily stopped due to a non-supply of building materials," he said.