Researchers find thousands of defects in public hospitals

The government's method of procurement for construction projects may have led to thousands of defects in these projects, including four public hospitals, which could endanger public safety.

According to a 2011 university research paper, this does not include educational facilities that also use the "design and build" method and were found not up to mark.

The research by Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) researchers presented at a Singapore conference states that the government's procurement method cost it "a considerable sum of money" for rectification work.

"Because of the seriousness of the problem, the Ministry of Education went to the extent of suspending the use of the design-and-build procurement system in its projects from 2005-2010 (under the 9th Malaysia Plan).

"The Ministry of Health was similarly dissatisfied with the delivery of their design-and-build projects, especially pertaining to the large number of defects that came with the completed projects.

"They warned (that) in the future, they will not accept hospitals with such a problem," researchers Haryati Mohd Isa, Padzil@Fadzul Hassan, Masnizan Che Mat, Zarina Isnin and Zulkifli Sapeciay wrote.

A design-and-build method involves one consortium taking sole responsibility for a project at a fixed, lump-sum price.

This was the case with the Serdang Hospital, which was completed by Ranhill Civil Sdn Bhd, which according to Ranhill Bhd's annual report 2004, was responsible for everything, from design to construction and even for the procurement of medical equipment.

There are seven reports of the hospital's ceilings collapsing, although all of them occurred in 2011, four years after Ranhill's two-year warranty on the building expired.

Ranhill refused comment on this when contacted as the Public Works Department is still investigating the matter.

Astounding defects

Meanwhile, in studying four unnamed public hospitals, the researchers found that thousands of defects emerged even before the liability periods were over.

"The large number of defects suggest that gaps exist within the current design-and-build system practised in these projects. This needs to be critically investigated," they said.

The researchers also called for investigation into the adequacy of guidelines and conditions set for contractors using the design-and-build method.

In one hospital, a whopping 8,518 defects were found, mostly due to poor workmanship, including faulty plumbing, fire protection and ventilation system.

An equally astounding 6,261 defects were identified in another public hospital, including faulty roofing and cracks in its structure due to poor design, materials used and workmanship.

Another hospital had 5,473 defects, also due to poor design, workmanship and materials, resulting in poor finishing and bad sanitary installations as well.

The last hospital the researchers studied had 2,743 defects, mostly on the architectural side, leading to poor quality ceilings, walls, flooring and doors.

Ambiguity over contractual obligations

The researchers found that while the defects were eventually rectified by the contractors concerned, there was "ambiguity" over their contractual obligations.

One senior manager at a hospital studied was quoted as saying that there were "discrepancies between what is actually put up and the as-built drawings".

Another manager questioned the absence of a written warranty on defects from the contractors.

According to a guideline for design-and-build contracts in the Public Works Department (PWD) website, the government has the right to withhold performance bonds if a contractor does not meet the contractual obligations.

There are also clauses allowing for the termination of the contract if it is found that the contractor or its employees, or a sub-contractor, had offered or given a bribe or inducement to a civil servant over the contract.

However, the auditor-general has previously reported that 83 government projects have been abandoned but only about half of the performance bonds, or RM1.1 billion, have been collected.

Prominent architect and Kuala Terengganu MP Raja Kamarul Baharin Ahmad has previouslyclaimed that errant contractors do get away scot-free, such as in the case of shoddily-built mosques in Terengganu.

Raja Kamarul Baharin said that the contractor behind a mosque in Terengganu, which collapsed in 2009, went on to build another mosque in the state, in which the roof caved in this year.