Salam and dear all,
I was invited by CIDB Sarawak and presented a keynote speech in their Seminar on Integrity in the Construction Industry 2010, 28th July 2010, in Kuching. The seminar was attended by some 280 participants, mostly contractors from within Sarawak.
In the seminar I discussed the concepts of ethics and integrity and proposed a construction industry-specific 'Ethical Infrastructure' as a way foward towards strengthening the image and profesionalism of the construction industry.
Below is the abstract of the said presentation.
I thank CIDB Sarawak and CIDB HQ KL for making all the arrangements.
Wassalam.
Construction Industry Development Board
Seminar on Integrity in the Construction Industry 2010
Strengthening the Image and Professionalism of the Construction Industry
Kuching,
Strengthening Ethics and Integrity in the Construction Industry: Developing a Construction Industry-Specific “Ethical Infrastructure”
Khairuddin Abdul Rashid[1]
Abstract
Data from literature review on the construction industry shows that various forms of corruption and un-ethical practices prevail and their extent is widespread. This phenomenon suggests that the numerous initiatives put in place by individuals, firms, organizations, government agencies and other stakeholders to strengthen ethics and integrity of the construction industry thus far have not been very effective. Consequently effort to identify, develop and implement innovative initiatives must be intensified.
This paper contends that many of the currently employed initiatives to combat corruption and to strengthen ethics and integrity in the construction industry (similar to the practice of the construction industry itself) are too fragmented i.e. they either profession-specific or organization-specific, or lacking in construction industry-wide management, co-ordination and evaluation, or lacking in clear and measurable objectives and outcomes, or a combination of any two or more of these and other factors, and therefore is either relatively in-effective or probably un-sustainable.
It is acknowledged that there is no easy or quick solution to combat corruption and to strengthen ethics and integrity of the construction industry. This paper proposes the development of a more holistic approach and a construction industry-specific “Ethical Infrastructure”.
The “Ethical Infrastructure” shall comprise of a framework of components including: generic and construction industry-specific moral values, ethical principles and Shari’ah compliant, construction code of conduct, construction procurement specific anti-corruption legislation and administrative procedure, a system of construction ombudsman, enhancing collaborations and de-fragmentation of the various anti-corruption agencies related to the construction industry, and management, co-ordination and evaluation; and socialization of the construction industry-specific “Ethical Infrastructure”.
The idea mentioned herein is still at its infancy. Research and institutional and industry support is required.
[1] Dip. QS (ITM), B.Sc. QS (
