By Zaki Salleh
IPOH: Attracted by low prices, many homeowners or building owners hire unregistered foreign contractors.
However, when issues arise, such as the contractor disappearing or poor-quality work, customers cannot claim compensation.
This is the risk customers face compared to using registered construction contractors.
The President of the Malay Contractors Association of Malaysia, Perak State, Datuk Jamaluddin Abdul Rahim, said that registered contractors are bound by established compliance rules.
He explained that foreign workers, such as those from Indonesia and Bangladesh, originally worked as laborers before becoming employers offering services like home renovations.
“Every registered contractor must obtain a license from the Construction Industry Development Board Malaysia (CIDB) and the Contractor Service Center (PKK) to carry out work, including securing government tenders.
“Not only that, contractors involved in home repair work must have a special license, B28, in addition to the basic license,” he said.
He made this statement to the media during the PKMM Perak State Iftar event last night.
PKMM Perak has 875 members, ranging from G1 to G7 contractors.
Jamaluddin said many customers do not understand the situation and easily hire foreign contractors without checking their credentials.
“For instance, PKMM Perak members are registered and have their own office addresses. In contrast, foreign workers may not have an address.
“If problems arise or these unregistered contractors disappear, customers are left confused and unable to contact them.
“We have received many cases like this, but unfortunately, no action can be taken because they are not registered contractors,” he added.
