Minister calls for mandatory use of industrialised building system in construction industry

SHAH ALAM (May 16): A minister has called for the adoption of the industrialised building system (IBS) to be made mandatory for all players in the construction industry.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan said he plans to propose this to the Cabinet with the hope that it will be implemented in the next three years.

"I will try to have a formal meeting with Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof and Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar to discuss this, give me about two weeks," he told reporters after presenting graduation certificates to trainees of the MMC-Gamuda Tunnelling Training Academy in Kota Kemuning.

Abdul Rahman said he will also seek the opinion of the Construction Industry Development Board on switching to IBS.

"If we don't make this mandatory, the industry can't shift to IBS fast enough," said Abdul Rahman. "We should (adopt IBS) because it can resolve a lot of issues, and the government would most probably save money."

Abdul Rahman said if the use of IBS is not made compulsory, the construction industry would continue to require a lot of foreign workers.

IBS is a modern construction technic that manufactures standardised modular building parts at a dedicated manufacturing plant and transports these parts to be assembled at project site.

Compared to the traditional brick and block method, IBS is known to have less environmental impact and requires fewer workers. — theedgemarkets.com

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