BERAKAS GARISON, Friday 1 March 2013 – Dato Paduka Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat, Deputy Minister of Defence today toured sites of Ministry of Defence’s infrastructural projects under the Ministry of Defence situated in Bolkiah Garrison, Rimba, and Berakas camps accompanied by Colonel (Retired) Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Azmansham bin Pengiran Haji Mohamad, Permanent Secretary (Defence Policy and Development), and other senior officers of the ministry.
The Deputy Minister’s working trip started with inspection of the recently completed Bolkiah Garrison Headquarters building at Bolkiah Garrison, then followed by visit to the new sports complex at Rimba Air Force Base, before heading to construction site of the new accommodation flats at Berakas Garrison to learn about its progress.
During his discussion with the architects and contractors, Dato Paduka Haji Mustappa was briefed on the overall progress of the MINDEF infrastructural development by the Director of Development and Work Services and on some concern about the difficulties faced by some contractors in meeting the dateline for the completion of each project. Some of the projects that were affected including sports complex for the Air Force and the provision of family accommodations at Berakas Camp which he felt are part of important development programmes to ensure the welfare of the members of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.
Some of the issues that have been highlighted to him are poor planning and management of the projects including the difficulty in employing skilled labours from overseas, bankers’ guarantee, timely payment, problems with nominated subcontractors and change request from the users.
In responding to these issues, Dato Paduka Haji Mustappa urged the project manager and the parties involved to be more open and transparent in their planning, ensure effective management of human resources, especially in addressing their welfare, as well as to adopt a stringent milestone payment method in order to convince financial institutions to help local contractors.
Dato Haji Mustappa felt that a lot of these delays are directly related to the lack of manpower and skilled labour to do the job as well as lack of financial support and resources on the part of the local contractors. Dato Haji Mustappa also emphasised on the important role of architects and consultants as members of the integrated team to ensure on time completion of the projects.
BERAKAS GARISON, Jumaat 1 Mac 2013 – Dato Paduka Haji Mustappa bin Haji Sirat, Timbalan Menteri Pertahanan hari ini membuat lawatan ke tapak-tapak projek pembangunan infrastruktur Kementerian Pertahanan di bawah Rancangan Kemajuan Negara (RKN) yang terletak di kem-kem tentera di Garison Bolkiah, Rimba, dan Berakas bersama dengan Kolonel (B) Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Azmansham bin Pengiran Haji Mohamad, Setiausaha Tetap (Dasar Pertahanan dan Pembangunan), dan pegawai-pegawai kanan kementerian yang lain.
Lawatan kerja Timbalan Menteri bermula dengan pemeriksaan ke atas bangunan Ibu Pejabat Bolkiah Garison yang baru siap, dan seterusnya diikuti lawatan ke kompleks sukan baru di Pangkalan Tentera Udara Rimba, sebelum menuju ke tapak pembinaan flat-flat penginapan baru di Garison Berakas untuk melihat perkembangannya.
Semasa perbincangan beliau dengan arkitek-arkitek dan kontraktor-kontraktor, Dato Paduka Haji Mustappa telah diberi taklimat mengenai perkembangan keseluruhan pembangunan infrastruktur Kementerian Pertahanan oleh Pengarah Pembangunan dan Perkhidmatan Kerja dan kebimbangan mengenai masalah-masalah yang dihadapi oleh sebahagian kontraktor dalam menepati tarikh akhir penyiapan setiap projek.
Sebahagian projek-projek yang terjejas, termasuklah kompleks sukan bagi Tentera Udara dan penyediaan bangunan-bangunan penginapan keluarga di Perkhemahan Berakas, yang beliau rasa adalah merupakan perancangan yang penting untuk memastikan kebajikan anggota Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei.
Sebahagian dari isu-isu yang diutarakan kepada beliau ialah perancangan dan pengurusan projek-projek yang kurang memuaskan termasuk kesukaran di dalam mengambil buruh-buruh mahir dari luar negara, jaminan pihak bank, ketepatan waktu pembayaran, masalah-masalah dengan kontraktor-kontraktor kecil yang dipilih dan perubahan permintaan pengguna.
Pada menjawab isu-isu ini, Dato Paduka Haji Mustappa telah menggesa pengurus projek dan pihak-pihak yang terlibat untuk bersikap lebih terbuka dan telus di dalam perancangan mereka, memastikan pengurusan sumber manusia yang berkesan, terutamanya dalam menangani kebajikan mereka, serta mengamalkan kaedah pembayaran perkembangan (milestone) yang ketat bagi meyakinkan institusi-institusi kewangan untuk menolong kontraktor-kontraktor tempatan.
Dato Haji Mustappa merasakan kelambatan-kelambatan tersebut mempunyai hubungan langsung dengan kekurangan tenaga manusia dan buruh mahir untuk melaksanakan kerja serta kekurangan sokongan dan sumber kewangan di pihak kontraktor-kontraktor tempatan. Dato Haji Mustappa juga menekankan kepentingan peranan pihak-pihak arkitek dan konsultan sebagai satu pasukan untuk memastikan penyiapan projek-projek agar bertepatan dengan waktunya.
Bolkiah Garrison Headquarters Building
Rimba Air Force Base Sports Complex Site Project
Berakas Camp “F” Flats
RBAF Saddle Club Staff Accommodation
