By Khairie Hisyam
Damage to sewerage pipes is why klia2 contractors missed the handover deadline for the new airport’s main terminal building, according to sources.
According to a source familiar with the matter, joint venture partners UEM Construction (UEMC) Sdn Bhd and Bina Puri Sdn Bhd did not manage to obtain a Certificate of Completion and Compliance (CCC) as an inspection several weeks ago found damage in the sewerage pipes underneath the main terminal building.
“It is possibly a design flaw,” said another source with knowledge of the matter who requested anonymity, adding that the contractor responsible has proposed rectification measures to fix the issue. “Nothing to do with workmanship … it’s an issue with the soil condition.”
Aziz Kaprawi
KiniBiz understands that deputy transport minister Abdul Aziz Kaprawi chaired a “heated” meeting over the issue earlier today.
In a Bursa filing today, Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) confirmed that it has not received the CCC from the joint venture partners as scheduled on Jan 31, 2014, although the airport operator did not specify a cause for the delay.
Notably, soil condition has been touted as among the primary reasons for klia2’s repeated delays. In December a report noted that cracks have appeared on the new airport’s aircraft parking surface area, which indicates an “uneven surface and a poor drainage system”.
Despite the glitch, however, the May 2, 2014 opening deadline is “likely still maintained” for now, said the source, adding that it is still possible, though challenging, if all parties work consciously towards making that date happen.
This echoes a SunBiz report today which noted the delay but said the May 2 deadline may still be met if MAHB begins running some tests without waiting for the CCC.
However, it is not immediately clear if the tests have started at press time.
In its report, SunBiz said UEMC–Bina Puri JV missed the Jan 31, 2014 deadline for handing over klia2’s main terminal building as they were unable to obtain a CCC which precedes the Operational Readiness And Transfer (ORAT) process which will take roughly three months.
The report by SunBiz attributed the delay to issues which cropped up in end-January, which left the JV partners no time to rectify the issue in time to meet the deadline.
According to an update in December 2013, MAHB said that the remaining works of aeronautical ground lightings and air traffic control systems were on schedule, although the airport operator expressed concerns over the slippage in work schedule on the part of UEMC and Bina Puri with regards to the klia2 terminal building.
klia2’s previous completion deadline was June 28, 2013. The UEMC–Bina Puri partnership has incurred RM199,445.40 daily in liquidated ascertained damages (LAD) since June 16, 2013 after missing its work completion deadline.
Missing that deadline meant klia2 was delayed for the fourth time since the first delay after missing the April 2012 completion deadline due to design changes.
KiniBiz previously examined the KLIA2 issue in a four-part series here.
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