Nazri: Explain shoddy work
25/05/2007 NST

KUALA LUMPUR: Upset and disappointed with more leaks at the brand-new Jalan Duta court complex, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz has ordered the contractor give an explanation.

He has given the contractor, Johawaki Sdn Bhd, until Monday to explain why the court complex, touted as the world’s second-largest, had leaks, faulty plumbing and other problems since it began operations on May 3.

"I want the contractor to explain this. We are the owner of the building. The funds to build it came from our department and we have the right to know what happened," he told reporters at Parliament House.

Mohamed Nazri, who holds the law portfolio, claimed that the contractor had used sub-standard materials and this, too, had to be explained by the contractor. "This is shoddy work," he said.

In the meantime, the court’s maintenance contractor, Kemuncak Facillities, will look after the complex.
"The court has appointed Kemuncak to maintain the building. Although it is under warranty, we want to be sure things are all right and have instructed Kemuncak to carry out more checks," he said.

The warranty for the RM270 million complex expires in February next year and Nazri hinted that the contractor may have to bear the cost of the repairs.

He said the government had paid 80 per cent of the cost of building the complex.

PWD director-general Datuk Dr Judin Abdul Karim and his deputy N. Selvanyagam were at the complex on Tuesday.

Selvanyagam confirmed the burst pipe was due to a sub-standard cap used at a joint.

Yesterday, a leaking pipe resulted in the lock-ups at Sessions Court I and II being inundated.

Prior to this the complex had been plagued by falling ceiling boards, cracks on the wall, malfunctioning air-conditioning system and a power outage.

Nazri said these incidents had only increased concerns about the building’s safety.