AUDITORS - BE AWARE WHEN YOU'RE AUDITING CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Just had some "difference of opinion" with auditors requesting the project procedures involving design (related to the drawings), the project execution plan (consultant), method statements (consultant) which are all literally spelled in the contract (contractual requirements) to be changed totally.

Recommendation to change these documented information would result in contract changes and review, may also inadvertently causing breaches in the contract terms and conditions between the client, the consultant and the contractor. To make it worse, it can potentially be costly to disturb the construction operation that is running smoothly.

The client fiercely objected when contractors calling them. I had to intervene before the client thought of suing.

Had to explain in detail to the auditors whilst they reserve the right on the corporate level documentation for the purpose of complying to the certification, but requesting to "dump" and use different formats already stated as contractual procedures, execution plan especially method statements are not acceptable.

They can recommend and note as observations in their exit/closing meeting though. I managed to calm down the client/consultant from questioning the auditors qualifications and experience although I notice that these are valid concern.

Although having referring to their superior, and confirmed that they have made some mistakes - even withdrawing some "ridiculous" NCR, it would have been costly for the client, consultant and contractor.

Please be aware of these sensitive issues when you're auditing. Remember, do not resort to some "forensic investigating techniques" or "too authoritative principles" in auditing.

ALERT - POSSIBLE SCAM

 

This posting is NOT mine and definitely not #elonmusk. I've reported the case to #instagram and deleted this post. I honestly don't think the link provided spacedrop.cc has anything to do with #elonmusk either. I've changed my password and to alert all #instagrammers to be careful.

FENOMENA KEPALA AIR

Al-Fatihah dan didoakan semoga dipermudahkan terjumpanya mangsa yang hilang di Jeram Air Putih. Tidak dapat saya membayangkan kesedihan kaum keluarga termasuk rakyat Malaysia yang prihatin yang turut berdoa untuk terjumpanya mangsa yang masih hilang. Sekalung penghargaan yang tidak terhingga kepada pihak berkuasa terutamanya pihak bomba yang bertungkus-lumus untuk mencari mangsa.

Nasihat saya, janganlah kita berbudaya menuding jari kepada mana-mana pihak sekalipun. Sebaliknya kita kena mencari jalan pencegahan supaya tragedi ini dapat dikurangkan pada tahap paling minima. Janganlah ada juga sifat "firefighting", iaitu sikap menanti berlakunya tragedi baru kita nak kelam-kabut - dengan orang politiknya, dengan pendapat-pendapat masing-masing dsb.

Fenomena kepala air (saya gelar "tsunami sungai") bukan satu fenomena yang baru. Ianya telah mengorbankan banyak nyawa kerana berlakunya secara tiba-tiba. Fenomena kepala air ini selalunya berlaku di sungai-sungai yang berdekatan air terjun dan bukit bukau, terutamanya pada musim tengkujuh.

Saya beruntung kerana dapat memainkan peranan yang kecil dalam projek mitigasi banjir dan analisa risiko banjir bersama pihak berkuasa selama beberapa tahun. Banyak ilmu yang dapat saya pelajari dari perunding-perunding kejuruteraan dari pelbagai agensi. Namun, apa saya sentiasa ingat dari muda lagi ialah satu petua yang telah terbukti secara saintifik terutamanya ahli geologi.

Kini telah terdapat banyak papan-papan tanda amaran mengenai bahayanya kepala air dan bagaimana untuk mengetahui tanda-tandanya sebelum terlewat. Patuhilah amaran berkenaan. Elakkan pendakian air terjun atau eksplorasi kawasan tanpa kebenaran atau pengawasan pihak berkuasa atau mereka yang mahir dan berpengalaman. Siren amaran (termasuk CCTV) walaupun tidak dipasang secara keseluruhan di semua hotspot kepala air, sistem ini dapat mengesan perubahan aliran air dari segi halaju dan paras air serta pergerakan tanah secara tiba-tiba.

Walaupun banyak tanda-tanda pengecaman diberikan, tetapi ianya yang gagal diperhatikan, didengari atau diamati kerana ditenggelami bunyi bising yang lain, sorak-sorai keseronokan dan keasyikan dll. Antara tanda-tanda yang sukar dikenalpasti oleh orang awam ialah perubahan warna air daripada jernih kepada gelap atau kehitaman (disebabkan kelodak/lumpur), aliran air tenang bertukar deras, bunyi seperti letupan dari jauh (lagaan batu-batan sehingga terhakis tanah sekitarnya (runtuh), akar pokok tidak stabil, juga menyebabkan tanah pecah dan pokok tumbang dll.

Tetapi ada satu tanda bagi kita yang bukan ahli geologi dapat mengenalinya dengan segera.

Apabila tiba-tiba berkumpulnya sampah sarap, ranting kayu, daun-daun kering yang sangat banyak secara tiba-tiba berdekatan dengan tempat mandi, beri amaran kepada semua yang sedang mandi supaya segera bergegas ke tempat yang selamat minima antara 50-100 meter kerana kepala air akan menyusul - semakin dekat dengan kawasan air terjun, semakin pantas ia akan tiba (antara 15- 30 saat sahaja (ada yang kurang dari itu) dengan halaju yang sangat deras - dalam tempoh 5-10 minit, paras air boleh naik dari satu hingga dua meter, air daripada dua meter sesaat boleh naik sehingga 10 meter sesaat.

Kepala air mampu membawa orang dewasa lebih menyedihkan kanak-kanak ke jarak yang jauh dan biasanya akan mati lemas.

Ada juga yang hilang mungkin tertanam di dalam kelodak, lumpur dan pasir malah terlekat di celahan batu pada paras yang dalam. Hanya penyelam yang mahir atau ekskavasi secara sistematik, alihan aliran sungai (river diversion) atau menggunakan pam yang berkuasa tinggi antara cara-cara yang dapat memudahkan operasi mencari mayat yang hilang. Tetapi operasi mencari akan menjadi sukar apabila hujan lebat dan ribut petir yang mampu mengalihkan mayat ke jarak yang lebih jauh.

Dalam pengalaman tidak seberapa saya melibatkan diri dalam projek mitigasi banjir, analisa risiko banjir yang saya tuliskan antara lain menyenaraikan kepentingan kestabilan cerun, kawasan tebing/dasar sungai yang perlu distabilkan, kawalan aliran sedimen dll perlu dilakukan seberapa segera. Undang-undang yang sediada juga perlu dikuatkuasakan terutamanya ke atas pembuangan sampah di kawasan sungai, kawalan ke atas aktiviti pembalakan, syarat-syarat yang lebih ketat untuk pembinaan struktur di tempat-tempat tinggi dan berisiko, kawalan pelombongan pasir (haram) dan paling penting ialah Malaysia perlu mempunyai Akta Risiko Banjir nya yang tersendiri.

CAN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AID THE POOR? (QUICK ANALYSIS BY NIK ZAFRI)

Someone asked me a few days ago, since I've been promoting Artificial Intelligence and its multifaceted use.

A good question: "How can AI benefit the poor?"

I do not know the intention of the person asking (who is politically motivated and the way he asked in a quite cynical mode or perhaps he is simply curious) but I'm going to answer it anyway. (not for him but for everyone reading this article)

Took me a while to do some research and I can come out with some ways (possibly can be done in the near future in Malaysia - but surprisingly many countries are already using them - at least at the inception stage) that AI can help the poor (where some of them, I am seriously considering using with the help of some "nerdy friends":

a. Identifying poverty-stricken regions -

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used to analyze satellite imagery and other data to identify areas where poverty is concentrated. This information can then be used to target interventions and resources to those areas.

b. Providing access to education and healthcare - 

AI can be used to develop educational tools and resources that are tailored to the needs of poor communities. It can also be used to improve the efficiency of healthcare delivery, making it more accessible to people living in poverty.

c. Improving agricultural productivity -

AI can be used to develop new agricultural technologies that can help to increase crop yields and improve food security. This can be especially helpful in developing countries where poverty is often linked to food insecurity.

d. Enhancing financial inclusion -  

AI can be used to develop new financial products and services that are accessible to people living in poverty. This can help to break the cycle of poverty by providing people with the tools they need to save, invest, and build their businesses.

e. Promoting social inclusion - 

AI can be used to develop new tools and technologies that can help to promote social inclusion. This includes things like chatbots that can provide mental health support, or AI-powered translation tools that can help people communicate across language barriers.

These are just a few of the ways that AI can help the poor. As AI technology continues to develop, we can expect to see even more innovative ways to use AI to address the root causes of poverty and improve the lives of people living in poverty.

Surprisingly some of the AI elements are already in place (how cool is that) designed to aid the poor:

i. United States

AI is being used to develop a new type of educational tool that can help students learn to code. The tool, called Codecademy, uses AI to personalize the learning experience for each student. This helps students learn at their own pace and focus on the areas where they need the most help.

ii. Kenya

AI is being used to develop a chatbot that can provide financial advice to people living in poverty. The chatbot, called M-Akiba, is able to assess a person's financial situation and recommend savings and investment products that are tailored to their needs.

iii. India

AI is being used to develop a new type of crop insurance that is more affordable and accessible to farmers. The insurance is based on AI-powered weather models that can predict the likelihood of crop failure. This allows farmers to get insurance even if they don't have a traditional credit history

Future Impacts

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to significantly impact the lives of the poor by addressing various challenges they face and providing solutions in multiple domains.

Here are some trades/industries that I foresee how AI can potentially have positive impacts on poverty :

1.0 Healthcare

AI can enhance healthcare accessibility and affordability for the poor by providing accurate and quick diagnoses, especially in areas with limited medical resources. AI algorithms can analyze medical data, identify patterns, and assist in the early detection of diseases. Since we already have telemedicine platforms, they can be enhanced further by AI to connect patients in remote areas with healthcare professionals.

2.0 Education

I've said this before and I'm going to say this again :

AI can improve access to quality education for disadvantaged communities. Intelligent tutoring systems can offer personalized learning experiences, adapt to individual student needs, and provide educational content in different languages. AI-powered chatbots can also provide guidance and support to students, especially those lacking access to traditional educational institutions.

3.0 Agriculture

AI can enhance agricultural productivity and reduce poverty in rural areas. AI-powered technologies can provide farmers with information about weather patterns, crop diseases, and optimal planting and harvesting times. By analyzing soil data, AI can offer recommendations for optimal fertilization and irrigation techniques, leading to increased yields and reduced costs.

4.0 Financial Services

AI-driven tools can expand financial inclusion by providing banking and financial services to the poor. AI algorithms can assess creditworthiness and offer microloans to individuals without a traditional credit history. Chatbots and virtual assistants can also assist with financial planning, budgeting, and offering guidance on financial literacy.

5.0 Disaster Response

AI can aid in disaster response and management to mitigate the impact on vulnerable populations. Machine learning algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data from various sources (such as social media, satellite imagery, and sensors) to predict and detect disasters, improve emergency response times, and allocate resources more effectively.

6.0 Employment and Skills Training

AI can help the poor acquire new skills and access employment opportunities. Online platforms powered by AI can provide vocational training, matching job seekers with suitable positions. AI algorithms can analyze labor market trends and provide insights to governments and organizations, enabling them to create targeted policies and programs to uplift the poor.

Despite the great potentials, we may also have to deal with challenges such as data biases, ethical considerations, and the need for proper infrastructure and resources to ensure equitable access.

However, when implemented responsibly and inclusively, AI can contribute to reducing poverty and empowering marginalized communities.