KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 — The Malaysian Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB Malaysia) has received an average of 600 complaints annually over the past seven years involving house construction and renovation issues.

CIDB Malaysia chief executive Zainora Zainal said 3,201 complaints were recorded over the seven-year period, with 564 cases received last year, while from the beginning of this year until October alone, 367 complaints had been logged.

Zainora said among the highest number of complaints received were breaches of contract, with 130 cases, followed by 86 cases of unsatisfactory construction quality, and 50 cases involving unregistered contractors.

“In addition, 22 cases were related to nuisance, 20 cases on safety non-compliance, 18 cases involved payment arrears to contractors, and 17 cases concerned non-compliance with building material standards,” she said when speaking at the Pre-Launch Ceremony of the Jom Bina Sempurna Programme here today.

Zainora said Selangor recorded the highest number of complaints with 107, followed by Kuala Lumpur with 55, Johor with 46, and Sabah, Perak and Pahang with 21 each.

In view of this, she said CIDB had taken the initiative to introduce the “Jom Bina Sempurna” programme to raise public awareness and understanding of the construction process and home renovation works.

She said the new programme featured two main components: the Jom Bina Sempurna Info Hub, which provided guidance for homeowners and contractors, 100 frequently asked questions, information on local authorities nationwide, and CIDB contract forms.

The second component is the “Jom Bina Sempurna” Facebook Page, a platform offering educational content on home building and renovation.

“Although housing construction issues also involve regulations by local authorities and other professional bodies such as the Board of Architects Malaysia (LAM), CIDB remains committed to educating homeowners to be more informed in construction matters.

“CIDB not only enforces Act 520 to protect public interest but also ensures that consumers have access to accurate information before starting any construction or renovation project,” she said.

Since 2013, Zainora said CIDB had established the CIDB National Renovation Contractors (CNAR) programme, while in 2022, it introduced the CIDB Standard Form of Contract for Renovation and Small Projects to help homeowners enter into contracts that were easy to understand and better protected the interests of both parties.

She also invited local authorities, government agencies, professional bodies and industry associations to become strategic partners in disseminating information on the programme and contributing expert input. — Bernama