SHIFT TO IBS TECHNOLOGY, ABDULLAH URGES CONTRACTORS

KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi
Thursday urged the construction community, especially Bumiputera (sons of the
soil) contractors and the small and medium industries (SMIs) to grab the
opportunity of new technology and adopt the Industrialised Building System (IBS)
for their buildings.

The use of IBS was made an official policy by the government when the
Treasury issued a circular last year, making it compulsory to have 70 percent of
IBS materials in all government projects.

"Following the policy, as of February 28 this year there were 320 government
projects worth RM9.43 billion being carried out using the IBS technology.

"I believe the construction industry will start to see the benefits of using
the IBS in the near term," he said in his official address at the National IBS
Convention held at the Construction Industry Development Board's convention
centre here Thursday.

The Prime Minister's speech text was read by Works Minister Mohd Zin
Mohamed.

The IBS, also known as complete assembly construction, involves the use of
components manufactured at factories, transported and then assembled into a
structure using the minimum of workforce.

The Prime Minister also called on members of the private sector who had yet
to adopt the IBS to consider taking advantage of the government's policy as
there were still many opportunities available due to the demand for IBS
components and services.

"With the announcement of the economic stimulus package, various new
opportunities have been opened for the construction industry. In this context,
it is important to ensure that the benefits of the package are channelled to and
enjoyed by Malaysians," he said.

However, to attract more locals to job opportunities in the sector, the
industry would have to become more professional, make changes to the working
environment so that it would no longer be seen as a 3D sector or "Dirty,
Dangerous and Demeaning".

This will indirectly also reduce the dependency of the sector on foreign
workers, he said.

The development of IBS will also give the country a competitive edge in the
overseas market and in this context, Malaysian contractors have already built up
a good name in the global arena.

Malaysia currently shares its expertise ans skills in 46 countries and has
been successful in getting major projects in India, the Middle East, Asean and
China involving 103 contractors with a value of more than RM90
billion.(US1=RM3.59)

"We have been succcessful because of our competitiveness but this can be
copied by other regional competitors.

"Therefore if our competitiveness is based on a technology supported by
research and development, we can continue to innovate to retain our edge and be
ahead of our competitors," he said.

This is why innovation and research in the area of IBS will be helpful to
ensure that local suppliers will become the choice suppliers for the global
market, he said.

By having an IBS technology that will effectively cut down construction
time, Malaysia will also be able to help countries destroyed by disasters, both
natural and man-made.

He also said only construction industries driven by IBS will have the force
and tenacity to be relevant in the modern age.
-- BERNAMA