Causes of government building defects and failures perceived by JKR stakeholders

Abstract

There are an immense number of government buildings, which include the hospitals, schools, quarters, offices, and etc. These buildings range from single storey to several storeys and vary in ages. Those buildings are owned by various government departments. Problems in government buildings are often referred to JKR regardless of whether JKR was involved in the planning, design, award of tenders or supervision of these buildings in the first place. Causes of the building defects and failures must be identified as soon as possible before higher public funds are required for remedies and prevent any fatality. The project has been carried out with the aim to determine frequency and severity of the causes that help government to take immediate or preventive actions. Questionnaire was distributed to selected stakeholders from JKR Putrajaya, JKR Forensic and contractors. Analysis on frequency of occurrence and severity effect was performed and the result shows the causes ‘inadequate and inaccurate data and information available (as-built drawing, use of the building layout plan and renovation by client)’ is the main cause of government building defects and failures. Further analysis on severity effect and cross tabulation shows that most of the respondents from JKR Putrajaya, JKR Forensic and contractors have the same perception on the causes of government building defects and failures.