project failure case study in malaysia

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PROJECT FAILURE FACTORS AND THEIR IMPACTS ON THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY: A LITERATURE REVIEW

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The limited number of female project managers within the Malaysia construction industry suggests the pressing need of information relating to their competency. Further, it is the realisation that their contribution is crucial for transforming Malaysia into a developed country by 2020. Against this background, this study seeks to put forward a model assessing the female project managers' competency level. This study qualitatively tests the proposed framework, which quantitatively constructed based on several competency models introduced in previous literature. From the female perspective, findings highlight the project managers' equal competency level of both genders. Within the context of the Malaysian construction industry, the competency model for female project managers is proposed.

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Nigerian indigenous contractors’ (NICs) inadequate project planning has been an impediment to the Nigerian economy. Their inadequacy emanates from: inexperience, incompetence, inappropriate planning techniques application, planning challenges, inadequate understanding of influencing factors for project planning, and poor understanding of project planning success indicators. This study investigated NICs project operational planning in building projects procurement in Nigeria and established a strategy for NICs project planning. Its objectives: established the level of NICs involvement in building procurement systems; examined NICs project time and cost performances in building procurement systems; investigated NICs application of project planning techniques; identified and evaluated NICs project planning challenges; identified and evaluated significant factors influencing NICs project planning and; identified and evaluated contractors’ project planning success indicators in building projects. The research design is quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative design employs exploratory and descriptive survey, while the qualitative design employs collective case studies. The absence of authoritative NICs sample frame necessitated the use of purposive sampling technique to administer 300 questionnaires to respondents’ in northern Nigeria. The questionnaire administration attains 59% response rate. Data were analyzed for reliability, significance, and correlation test, as well as descriptive statistics. Stratified random sampling technique was used to sample the case study and data analyzed using Bloom’s hierarchy taxonomy and descriptive statistics. Result reveals that: NICs frequency of involvement is much lower in the non-traditional procurement systems, underperformed in project time and cost, and inappropriately applied project planning techniques; identified project planning challenges are severe; identified influencing factors are important; and identified contractors’ project planning success indicators are important. This study recommends: NICs acquire skills for the management of non-traditional procurement systems and, public and private clients should patronize the NICs in the execution of non-traditional procurement systems; NICs should adopt project management techniques; consultants/NICs should conduct exhaustive brief evaluation, adequate feasibility study and appropriate scope definition; clients and consultants should adhere to project management procedures; NICs should apply appropriate planning techniques, employ competent personnel, embark on continuous training, use the project planning success indicators as a guide for the management and planning of project operational tasks; form of building contract used in Nigeria should be reviewed to enforce proficiency in contractors project planning; and project management courses should be introduce in the training of construction related discipline in Nigerian institutions. Adherence to these recommendations will enhance NICs project planning and, facilitate their project management performance in meeting construction best practice. Keywords: Construction industry, Indigenous contractors, Nigeria, Procurement systems, Project planning.

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Landslide of Highland Towers 1993: a case study of Malaysia

• Published: 12 June 2017
• Volume 2 , article number  21 , ( 2017 )

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• Danish Kazmi 1 ,
• Sadaf Qasim 1 ,
• I. S. H. Harahap 2 &
• Syed Baharom 2  

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Slope engineering is primarily focused on landslides nowadays due to increasing number of its episodes. Most of the landslides occur on manmade slopes and it is actually the consequence of the uncertainties carried by different contributing factors. This study explores the causes of Highland Towers 1993 landslide based on reliability analysis technique and taking into account the role of human errors in the contribution of landslide. It is an established fact that the probability of failure derived from structural reliability analysis is conditional which does not incorporate human factors. The analysis considered in this study is based on Monte Carlo simulation by using the commercial slope/w software to evaluate the stability of the slope. The reason for selecting this software is that it combines both deterministic and probabilistic modules which provides more reliable results. These investigations are followed by fault tree analysis (FTA) to quantify the human error causes of failure by determining the chances of landslide governing with different events. The results of FTA show that the potential causes of this landslide are inadequate drainage, failure of rubble wall, and rail pile foundation which confirms that human errors have played a significant role in triggering the landslide. Therefore, this study suggests the use of human reliability analysis technique along with structural analysis to address the risks associated with the slopes.

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Department of Civil Engineering, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan

Danish Kazmi & Sadaf Qasim

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, 32610, Perak, Malaysia

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Kazmi, D., Qasim, S., Harahap, I.S.H. et al. Landslide of Highland Towers 1993: a case study of Malaysia. Innov. Infrastruct. Solut. 2 , 21 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41062-017-0069-4

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s41062-017-0069-4

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Challenges in Construction Over Soft Soil - Case Studies in Malaysia

N O Mohamad 1 , C E Razali 1 , A A A Hadi 1 , P P Som 1 , B C Eng 1 , M B Rusli 1 and F R Mohamad 1

Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering , Volume 136 , Soft Soil Engineering International Conference 2015 (SEIC2015) 27–29 October 2015, Langkawi, Malaysia Citation N O Mohamad et al 2016 IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng. 136 012002 DOI 10.1088/1757-899X/136/1/012002

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1 Geotechnical Engineering Branch, Public Work Department of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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Construction on soft ground area is a great challenge in the field of geotechnical engineering. Many engineering problems in the form of slope instability, bearing capacity failure or excessive settlement could occur either during or after the construction phase due to low shear strength and high compressibility of this soil. As main technical agencies responsible for implementation of development projects for Government of Malaysia, Public Works Department has vast experience in dealing with this problematic soil over the years. This paper discussed and elaborate on the engineering problems encountered in construction projects that have been carried out by PWD, namely Core Facilities Building of Polytechnic Kota Kinabalu in Sabah and Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Integration Quarters in Klang, Selangor. Instability of the ground during construction works had caused delay and cost overrun in completion of the project in Selangor, whereas occurrence of continuous post construction settlement had affected the integrity and serviceability of the building in Sabah. The causes of failure and proposed rehabilitation work for both projects also will be discussed in brief.

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CILISOS – Current Issues Tambah Pedas!

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6 most EPIC FAIL (and deadly) Malaysian constructions

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Malaysia is an up-and-coming country, with skyscrapers, malls, and roads flung across the entire cityscape. However, some say this first-world infrastructure means nothing in the face of third world mentality .

We at CILISOS  would like to remain optimistic about Malaysians. We might be kiasu a bit when it comes to lining up for toys la, but we’re good in the overall sense. What’s not good however, is that some buildings we’ve built are crumbling, despite the fact that they should last longer than us.

But before we start on the list, we just want you to know that any humour in this article is just for the sake of prose, okay? There’s nothing funny about tragedies and death. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, come, let us take you on a journey through our darker histories, from just relatively expensive, to unfortunately, most fatal .

6. Terengganu stadium collapses, June 2009 (and AGAIN, in February 2013)

Stadium got slipped a roofie. Photo credit: alamakademik.wordpress.com

The first thing people think about when looking at a stadium is the marvel of spectator sports and the frenzy of the crowd. Have you ever watched a match where the cheers were so loud that they threatened to bring the roof down? Well thank God there wasn’t a crowd when the  Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Stadium’s roof collapsed , literally.

In June 2009, the stadium’s east wing took a dive (oh wow soccer puns), and fortunately, no one was present. After what has got to be the longest clean-up ,  the roof collapsed again . A beam fell during repairs and removal, and this time, the workers kena. Boh song lor, to say the least.

Sekali kena gigit, dua kali malu… not. Photo credit: merdekaonline.com

Misfortune: 5 locals injured (whew), no fatalities.

Resolution: Wan Manan Wan Ali was charged in 2011, but acquitted in 2014

Cost Tally: RM 292 million stadium costs, approximately RM25 million damages

5. Penang second bridge collapse, June 2013

Is it even safe for the rescue team to be up there? Photo credit: straitstimes.com

So your friend on Facebook shows of their latest Penang trip, and what updates do you see? That’s right. Food, glorious food . In fact, so many people go there to makan CKT that they  need another road to the island to alleviate the traffic .

And in June 2013 (why are all these things happening in June?), a part of that second bridge fell . The Kelisa and its driver parked beneath didn’t stand a chance 🙁 Again, it was caused by negligence during construction . As an expert put it:

“The scaffolding must be able to withstand the superstructure and horizontal loads as well as the additional hydraulic pressure of fresh cement. It takes five hours for the concrete to harden before it can carry its own weight. Before that, it relies on the scaffolding to hold it in place.” –  Dr Mahyuddin Ramli, The Star

With our limited construction knowledge, we still find constructions like these over a road that’s open to public quite the dodgy, as depicted in the photo below.

The aforementioned dodgy-ness. Photo credit: starproperty.my

Misfortune: 1 killed ( A Malay ex-policeman ), 3 injured

Resolution: Chan Kah Heen from Cergas Murni Sdn Bhd got a RM50,000 fine, while Abdul Raub Razalim from Giga Engineering and Construction Sdn Bhd received a RM35,000 fine.

Tally:  Bridge estimated at RM 152 million

4. Jaya shopping mall collapse, May 2009

Yes, it was that old. Photo credit: skyscrapercity.com

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but if you have memories of shopping in Jaya Supermarket ,  you’re most probably old. Perhaps it was the lack of shopping malls, or maybe its location was just that  ong , but Jaya was the top choice of mall-dwellers besides Atria and The Mall .

This time, the problem wasn’t construction, but from demolition works .  Specific reasons of the failure were unreleased to the public , and despite the contractors submitting their reports for investigation, the public was left in the dark regarding further development.

There was also the hoo-haa about the contractors not getting approval from the Department of Safety and Health (DOSH), while holding the green light from MPPJ . And then there were accusations of contractors using explosives, which they denied and countered balik   that the demolitions code in Malaysia was self-regulated. Very messy la, in essence.

The unfortunate aftermath. Photo credit: salazs.blogspot.com

Misfortune : 7 dead Indonesian workers , unconfirmed injuries.

Resolution : Yap Choon Wai from CW Yap Sdn Bhd, and Jason Hee Kok Hing from Lian Hup Earth Work and Construction Sdn Bhd were charged with failing to meet safety standards. No updates since.

Tally: Unconfirmed, though technically the building was slated for demolitions.

3. Train shenanigans, March & May 2013, August & December 2014

Artist’s impression, though we doubt it’ll be this unpopulated. Photo credit: propertyhub.com.my

Now this is the  kecoh  one. It’s the one that caused much furore, and it was also the inspiration for this article. The reason why it irked Malaysians was the fact that it happened on the roads that people take to work everyday . The other reason was that there were multiple cases linked to the MRT/LRT saga.

Surely, you’d expect the authorities to be extra-kao-tambah-extra  careful, what with the construction zones stretching all along the busiest roads in the Klang Valley, right? Or do we need to be careful ourselves as well?

… and not worry their socks off about something falling on them.

First case, March 2013,  equipment in transit fell and crushed two cars  in Subang Jaya . This brought to light how the average cari makan  commute was going to change. Barely given enough time to recover, Malaysians were subject to yet   another scare, when initial news reports believed that the tragedy involving a falling beam—which crushed a restaurant worker and his employer—“was for use in the MRT project.”

After that came the Kota Damansara incident , where a 300 tonne beam crushed three people .This was the straw that broke the camel’s back where MRT was concerned ,causing MRT CEO Datuk Wira Azhar to resign .  MRT rejected his resignation however, as he actually did oversee progress throughout the construction.

The 300-tonne beam in the Kota Damansara case. We know it’s a bit untasteful, but i you look closely, you’ll see its horrified face. Can. Not. Unsee. Photo credit: thestar.com.my

Misfortune : 7 total deaths (5 Bangladeshi, two locals), unconfirmed injures.

Resolution : Besides Datuk Wira Azhar’s resignation, the only other action was our  Prime Minster’s call for a probe.

Tally :  Total damages for both lines unknown.

2. Penang Jetty tragedy, July 1988

No suitable captions here. It was just tragic. Photo credit: tankiasu.wordpress.com

The Sultan Abdul Halim ferry terminal tragedy is lesser-known among the young ‘uns, despite it being the talk of the town for weeks on end after its happening. Don’t believe us about it being a well-known incident? Ask the older generation about the 1988 disaster and they’ll tell you all about it, despite not having the social media grapevine of today.

Where construction was concerned, it was not a planning fail la per se. It was more of a ‘ perfect storm ‘ situation. Not a real storm, but the combination of circumstances that aggravated a situation drastically.

First of all, there was a freak crowd of 10,000 people  due to the clash between two celebrations: the St Anne’s Feast in Bukit Mertajam and a rare Kwan Yin Goddess festival in George Town. All the passengers were on the pier’s second storey—the one below was meant for cars. The pier, not built to withstand such a weight, crumbled under the stress.

Passengers that survived the fall had to avoid being crushed by the debris, and find a way out of that death trap. Surprisingly, grandfather stories provide more information than the internet  (results barely made half of the first page) regarding this issue, but that doesn’t make it any less tragic.

The day’s events shown on a television documentary. Photo credit: tankiasu.wordpress.com

Misfortune : 32 killed, 1,634 injured

Resolution : None, crowd’s impatience highlighted

Tally : Unmentioned

1. Highland Towers collapse, December 1993

The collapsed Tower One. Photo credit: hulukelang.com

Aaand this is the big one , and we bet ugaiz saw it coming. December 11, 1993, a date etched into many Malaysians’ minds, mainly because it was one of the most horrific collapses the country—actually, you could even make that the world—has ever seen.

It was so devastating that it made this person’s list of the world’s top 10 building collapses . It also prompted aid from Singapore, France, Japan, UK, and US.

The abandoned remains. Photo credit: thestar.com.my

Another ‘perfect storm’ incident , factors like the installation of pipes under the building’s grounds (which would burst), the clearing of trees nearby, and a crazy 10-day downpour of rain all congealed into one big landslide, causing one of three towers to crash.

Eerily, rescue teams reported knocks and cries for help even seven days into recovery efforts. Now, the remaining towers stand as a stark reminder of our history, with people reportedly going to the grounds to look for  hantus .

MPAJ had full immunity on claims. Photo credit: mavrkyprojectphoto.blogspot.com/

Misfortune : 48 deaths

Resolution : Dropped civil charges against  10 parties, including the Selangor government and the Ampang Jaya Municipal council

Tally : RM 52 million out of court settlement

We can do better than this.

Perfect photo for the next paragraph. Photo credit: hugolim.com

Yes. Nobody wants tragedies to happen, but even in the face of disaster it’s always important to remember what we have. We have our KL Tower  and the Petronas Twin Towers as the country’s architectural landmarks. Also, we’re willing to bet that more foreigners have been up the towers than ugaiz  right? Don’t lie.

And we also have the SMART tunnel , which is one of its kind in the world. We even have a documentary episode dedicated to this feat of engineering alone.

Traffic alleviator by day, flood alleviator by rainfall. Photo credit: cdn.visualnews.com

Also, don’t think countries with huge advancements in infrastructure don’t go through the same thing. South Korea, a country with streaming videos in buses instead of the pre-loaded ads in our Rapid KL counterparts, have had   a couple  great disasters as well (to be fair, the first was caused by snow). Even countries like Canada have had their share of casualties when a shopping mall’s roof collapsed .

So despite the best technologies and methodologies, misfortunes can still occur. However, what worries us is a lack of consequence to those in charge. Aside from Azhar, who resigned for the LRT misfortunes, many of the other cases remained unsettled. Given the mount of deaths resulting (particularly for the poor migrant workers), it indicates that people can, in fact, get away with murder.

For us here at CILISOS, we believe that’s the real tragedy in all this. Yes buildings will fall, and yes, people will get injured, but the percentage of migrants that make up the headcount is unsettling at best. This is why we wrote an article last year highlighting the three Bangladeshi men who were crushed in the MRT accident . Cos it’s easy sometimes to see them as workers, and not men.

Where buildings are concerned, it’s probably safe to say that we shouldn’t cut corners, because buildings man, they bide their time. You might get away with shoddy work for a few years, but they will definitely come back to haunt you.

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