KL – The Sarawak Public Works Department (JKR Sarawak) and the Construction Industry Development Board of Malaysia (CIDB Malaysia) have held a strategic engagement session focused on modern construction technology, digitalisation and sustainable development in government projects.
The engagement forms part of JKR Sarawak’s efforts to support changes in construction practices and improve the way public projects are planned and delivered.
The Sarawak delegation was led by Deputy Director (Buildings and Experts) Hajah Sharifah Liz Farawati bte Wan Omar, together with Deputy Director (Technical Services) Ts Meehan anak Jorai.
The programme began with a visit to the Industrialised Building System (IBS) Gallery and IBS Homes, where the delegation was briefed on the application of IBS technology in construction.
The visit provided an opportunity for the delegation to examine different industrialised construction systems, components and methods. Such approaches can be used to improve productivity, quality and efficiency while potentially shortening project delivery periods.
The programme continued in the afternoon with an engagement session between CIDB Malaysia and JKR Sarawak. Discussions covered the implementation of IBS, Building Information Modelling (BIM) and sustainable design approaches in government development projects.
JKR Sarawak highlighted that the success of a project should not be assessed solely on whether construction is completed within the scheduled timeframe. The department said projects should also meet quality requirements, remain cost-effective and provide value throughout the life cycle of the completed asset.
The department said it continues to support the application of IBS and BIM as part of efforts to improve planning, design, coordination and construction processes.
BIM can also support coordination between different project components while helping to optimise resources and reduce the possibility of duplicated work during implementation.
The collaboration also relates to Sarawak’s wider digitalisation efforts in government project delivery. JKR Sarawak said the Sarawak Government’s policy requires BIM to be used for building projects valued at more than RM10 million and infrastructure projects exceeding RM100 million.
The adoption of digital tools and modern construction methods is intended to strengthen project management while supporting more integrated approaches to design and construction.
CIDB Malaysia, meanwhile, expressed its continued support for JKR Sarawak in developing industry competencies, adopting technology and expanding the use of modern construction methods.
The engagement also linked the use of BIM, IBS and sustainable design with the objectives of the Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, particularly in areas involving sustainable development, productivity and technology adoption within Sarawak’s construction sector.
The two agencies’ discussions reflect the growing emphasis on technology and sustainability in public infrastructure delivery. For government projects, these approaches can influence not only construction methods but also the long-term management and performance of completed assets.
Continued cooperation between JKR Sarawak and CIDB Malaysia is expected to support efforts to strengthen technical capabilities and encourage wider adoption of construction innovations.
The collaboration is ultimately aimed at supporting a construction industry that is more efficient, resilient and sustainable, while ensuring public development projects deliver value over their full life cycle.
