Malaysia Reserve : Unlocking Malaysia’s global automotive potential

Source : https://themalaysianreserve.com/2024/02/26/unlocking-malaysias-global-automotive-potential/

Monday, February 26th, 2024 at Economy | News | Wheels

Entries by international EV companies signal a significant move towards EV transition, and longstanding local players also play pivotal roles

by SHAUQI WAHAB

Proton started its BEV journey with the introduction of the smart model, distributed through its subsidiary, Pro-Net, in 2023 (Source: smart Malaysia)

MALAYSIA’S automotive sector is embarking on its next revolutionary phase with the introduction of electric vehicles (EVs)

EV companies such as Tesla Inc and BYD Auto Co Ltd entered Malaysia’s market with a big statement towards the transition, aligning with a mission to champion the cause for environmental sustainability.

Noma SWO Consult associate partner and Gerson Lehrman Group’s (GLG) council member Nik Zafri Abdul Majid, alongside Proton Holdings Bhd deputy CEO Roslan Abdullah, shared perspectives on recent partnerships, government initiatives and Malaysia’s position in the global shift towards EVs.

Nik Zafri emphasised the pivotal roles of longstanding industry players, highlighting DRB-Hicom Bhd’s position through Proton.

“DRB-Hicom has been a long-standing player, in which Proton is the branding and monument for its success,” he told The Malaysian Reserve (TMR).

He said the collaboration with international brands like Suzuki, Honda and Mitsubishi has propelled DRB-Hicom to a leadership position in domestic production.

Nik Zafri says although Malaysia is still in the early stages of the EV revolution, there is significant potential for growth

“Most importantly, the car parts are imported and (then) assembled locally (complete knock-down [CKD]) which promotes domestic production, job creation and vendor development,” he said.

He also believed that broad experience, domestic production, job creation and vendor development are four key elements of how DRB-Hicom influenced the market trends, making it more competitive with appealing local vehicles.

UMW Holdings Bhd, synonymous with Toyota, offers diversified options to consumers.

“The influence of UMW on consumer choices and market trends are diversified options and established international brands,” he added.

Nik Zafri also noted that Tesla’s entry into Malaysia signals a significant milestone in the government’s push towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the EV domain.

“Tesla’s presence with EVs raises awareness and interest, which may influence the future direction of market trends, where the plan is to establish supercharger networks and service centres, which will boost the EV ecosystem,” he said.

Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships

Proton’s collaboration with DRB-Hicom and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co Ltd, as shared by Roslan, plays a crucial role in shaping Malaysia’s automotive trajectory.

Proton has recently made progress with the development of the Automotive High-Tech Valley (AHTV) project in Tanjung Malim, Perak.

“The project is a major initiative which is expected to energise the Malaysian automotive industry and attract RM32 billion in investments over the next 10 years, while creating job opportunities and helping Malaysia become a regional leader in the production of next-generation vehicles (NxGVs),” Roslan told TMR.

He also said that Proton’s transition into battery electric vehicles (BEVs) positioned the company at the forefront of Malaysia’s EV revolution, gaining valuable insights and contributing to the digital transformation journey associated with EVs.

“Proton started its BEV journey with the introduction of the smart model, distributed through its subsidiary, Proton New Energy Technology Sdn Bhd (Pro-Net), in 2023,” he said.

In regards to AHTV, Nik Zafri resonated with Roslan’s statement, adding that it will boost domestic production.

“We can expect transfer of technology in the future which will encourage the localisation of EV technology and components, hence reducing imports,” he said.

DRB-Hicom’s partnership with Geely further emphasises Malaysia’s commitment to boosting domestic production, localising technology and fostering a sustain- able automotive ecosystem.

“As at the end of 2023, the company has introduced 31 models and cumulatively sold 4.98 million units, so we are approaching another milestone in 2024,” said Roslan.

Meanwhile, Nik Zafri said the Malaysian Investment Development Authority’s (MIDA) collaboration with Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) would lead to the launching of the MIDA-Perodua Digital Transformation Ecosystem Programme.

“The aim is to upgrade the local automotive suppliers with state-of-the-art technologies and advanced machinery, digitising manufacturing processes (upgrade of the prevailing material requirements planning [MRP]/enterprise resource planning [ERP] system) and for a more affordable vendor development programme for Perodua,” he noted.

Investments in research and development (R&D), coupled with digitisation efforts, underscore the industry’s dedication to modernisation and innovation.

NAP2020 and Tax Initiatives

Government initiatives and incentives, crucial catalysts for growth, play a vital role in Malaysia’s automotive sector.

The government’s launch of the National Automotive Policy 2020 (NAP2020) was aimed at enhancing Malaysia’s automotive industry in the era of digital industrial transformation.

The goal is to cultivate the NxGV technology ecosystem to position Malaysia as a regional hub for NxGV production, enhancing the involvement of the domestic automotive industry in the sector. This initiative not only emphasises technology advancement but also encompasses the overall transport ecosystem.

The policy aimed to modernise the domestic automotive industry in line with the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) and ensure that consumers, domestic industry and the government benefit from NxGV implementation.

Furthermore, the policy was also aimed to reduce carbon emissions from vehicles by improving the fuel economy level in Malaysia by 2025 in line with the Asean Fuel Economy Roadmap of 5.3 litres of gasoline equivalent (Lge)/100km.

Concerning fuel economy level, it was reported in October 2023 that Malaysia’s refined fuel consumption is projected to grow at a much slower pace than anticipated over the next 10 years, averaging at around 1.5% from 2023 to 2032.

Hence, it is a good time for Malaysia to transition towards the government’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals with the usage of EVs, and the development of Kulim Hi-Tech Park in the northern region of Malaysia.

Nik Zafri said the commitment to attracting investments, promoting technological advancement via grants and funding programmes, developing infrastructure, foster- ing workforce competencies, encouraging localisation and supporting vendor development created an enabling environment for industry players to thrive.

For example, tax exemptions offered by the government, such as investment tax allowances and pioneer status, would attract more foreign direct investors (FDI) into the automotive industry.

It will reduce the initial investment costs for companies, making Malaysia a more attractive destination for establishing or expanding their manufacturing operations.

“For individuals, income tax relief of up to RM2,500 on EV charger rental, purchase, and installation; and for companies, this applies to the tax deductions on EV rental, in which both of these incentives will be extended until 2027,” he said.

Initiatives like NDTS combine classroom learning with on-the-job training, improving graduates’ employability in the automotive sector (pic: Bloomberg

Training More Skilled Workers

Nik Zafri also touched upon the government’s initiative to introduce the National Dual Training System (NDTS).

“Initiatives like NDTS combine classroom learning with on-the-job training, providing graduates with practical experience and improving their employability in the automotive sector,” he said.

Subsequently, Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz said during his speech at a recent BYD launching ceremony that MITI would collaborate with other ministries to fulfil the industry’s demands.

“MITI will continue to collaborate with the Human Resource, Education and Higher Education Ministries to ensure that the industry’s requirements for skilled workers will be fulfilled,” he said.

Last year, MITI set up the National EV Steering Committee, which is a Cabinet committee comprising key ministries to address top concerns in the industry.

“This 400% increase in BEV adoption signifies our strong policy push that has generated a strong trend in the shift from internal combustion engine (ICE) to EV among Malaysian consumers,” Tengku Zafrul added while complimenting BYD for achieving the highest number of units of EV cars brought into Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Roslan said Proton’s alignment with government aspirations and its focus on connectivity, autonomous, shared mobility and electrification (CASE) technologies echoed this commitment.

He also noted the government’s active participation in the promotion of EVs, which aligned with the Net-zero Carbon Mobility blueprint.

“The government must make the policies clear to the public to address the various concerns regarding the usage of EV cars such as range anxiety, financing facilities, as well as the second-hand value of EV cars,” he said.

Roslan notes the govt’s active participation in EV promotion, which aligns with Net-zero Carbon Mobility blueprint (pic: MUHD AMIN NAHARUL/TMR)

Malaysia’s Position in the EV Revolution

Nik Zafri said although Malaysia is still in the early stages of the EV revolution, there is significant potential for growth.

Challenges such as limited EV production and infrastructure gaps exist, but strong government support through initiatives like tax breaks and subsidies signals a promising future for EV adoption and production.

With these challenges, he said Malaysia is likely to face tough competition for at least one to two years, given the head start in EV development and production enjoyed by countries like China and South Korea.

However, he was hopeful about Malaysia’s trajectory in its EV development.

“Partnerships and investments with Geely and Tesla can bring in expertise and technology, accelerating Malaysia’s EV development,” he said.

Nik Zafri believed that leveraging expertise, partnerships and financial support, Malaysia, including Proton, is poised to emerge as a key player in the regional EV market by 2025.

As for Roslan, he supported the government’s targets towards transitioning to EVs, notably achieving 15% EV of new car sales by 2030.

“Proton views these targets to be in line with the ICE-to-EV transition period as it may require some time to convince consumers and stabilise the industry,” he noted.

However, he said that ICE and hybrid EV (HEV) cars are expected to prevail until 2030, followed by the decline of volumes for ICE vehicles.

• This article first appeared in The Malaysian Reserve weekly print edition

WHY IS MY PHONE INTERNET IS SO SLOW?

Eversince the two nation's most famous telcos "got married", things started to take a 360 degree turn. The stability of the internet has become unpredictable, fluctuating between fast and slow speeds.

This inconsistency particularly affects "cheapskate" prepaid users like myself, who have subscribed to high-speed internet plans only to find sluggish connectivity especially on hotspot- Public Wi-Fi is no longer reliable. Adding to the frustration, as the data limit approaches, the internet mysteriously speeds up, leaving me with unused data.

Initially, I suspected prejudice against prepaid users like me, but discussions with friends on postpaid plans revealed that they too encounter the same issues. It's puzzling why some areas still rely on outdated cell broadcast technology instead of upgrading to the latest technology. Picture this: owning a 5G-enabled phone but receiving only 3G or 3.5G signals, or encountering cell broadcasts incompatible with certain phone brands.

Topography, line of sight to towers, network congestion due to heavy traffic or some "firewall" problems affecting the radio packet transmission are NOT the users problem as we are paying good money for it. So it' s the telco should be resolving all these issues. Why bother to tell the users all the techie things? I am not a telco engineer...you are.. you solve your problems "lah".

Many times I encounter embarrassing experience of inability to use Touch and Go e-wallet despite subscribing to high speed internet - making me frantically searching for cash or using debit card which is not helping me in collection/redemption of points.

Although advanced technology exists, its availability seems limited to upscale locations.

JANGAN TERTIPU DENGAN SYARIKAT "PELABURAN" - Nik Zafri

Tahun 2016, saya ada menghadiri satu jemputan untuk mendengar ceramah 30 minit mengenai satu syarikat pelaburan yang katanya nak disenaraikan di ACE market di sebuah hotel (3 bintang)

Terkejut juga bila dapat kad perniagaan dari mereka yang bertugas di pintu masuk bilik mesyuarat tertera sebuah "Syarikat Sdn. Bhd." Ada lebihkurang 20 orang yang hadir dan mereka meminta saya duduk di kerusi paling hadapan walaupun saya mendesak untuk duduk di kerusi belakang. (rasa lain macam nih)

Sepanjang penerangan diberikan, saya sudah dapat mengesan "red flags" antara lain - "bukan skim cepat kaya", "diluluskan undang-undang" dll bla-bla-bla ibarat macam syarikat jualan langsung pula. (produk pun tidak ada - sekadar memaparkan kilang-kilang (ODM) tertentu usahasama untuk "contract manufacturing")

Cara penerangan mengenai prosedur penyenaraian pun saya tengok banyak kesalahan. Terus-terus IPO, kut mana ni?

Mana "pre-submission" (penstrukturan IPO, "due diligence" dll) Mana "regulatory approval"? dan beberapa proses lain? Yang ditunjukkan surat permohonan untuk disenaraikan? Kandungannya pun nampak silap.

Hati da rasa - ini macam scam ni.

Dah habis penerangan, saya buat-buatlah bodoh bertanya depan-depan orang ramai :

1) Boleh ke Syarikat Sdn. Bhd. jadi firma pelaburan? Bukan yang "awam berhad" ke?

2) Berapa jumlah modal untuk melayakkan diri ke ACE market? Berapa "total market capitalization" yang diperlukan semasa disenaraikan? Berapa lama konsesi yang diberikan oleh kerajaan?

3) Mana lesen pengurusan dana? Mana lesen pengurus dana? (2 lesen tu)

4) Mana prospektus?

Tiba-tiba berbunyi satu suara di belakang saya menyokong apa yang saya katakan.

Penganjur dah terketar-ketar nak menjawab. Lalu saya pun bangun dan keluar dari ceramah berkenaan diikuti oleh rakan saya dan dua hingga tiga orang dari ceramah berkenaan. Rasa membazir masa pula datang.

Rupa-rupanya di belakang saya tadi yang menyokong saya adalah penyamar orang awam dari pihak berkuasa. Khabarnya dah ada operasi tutup dan rampas tidak lama selepas acara berkenaan.

Banyak juga whatssap dan PM FB yang saya dapat - ...malaslah nak layan kerana semua mesej yang ditulis adalah sia-sia belaka.

Dah terhantuk baru tergadah. Tapi ramai lagi yang percaya dengan penipuan seperti ini. Sampai ribuan ringgit habis. Saya rasa malas nak tegur sebab ada sahaja alasan/jawapan "penjilat"- biarla pihak berkuasa buat kerja sikit. Saya sekadar nak selamatkan kawan-kawan yang terpengaruh je.

PETUA

Salam, sebenarnya banyak soalan yang dikemukakan pada saya sejak tahun lepas - bertanyakan apa petua yang saya amalkan, kaki masih kuat - masih dapat bersepatu roda dengan pantas pada usia masuk 58 tahun 2024.

Sememangnya ada petuanya - tetapi sesetengahnya perlu dikongsi secara peribadi kerana ianya melibatkan "herbs", petua pengamal seni mempertahankan diri (sesetengahnya ada di FB saudara Dr. Azlan Ghanie II, dan set ubat-ubatan (yang sememangnya memerlukan sedikit pelaburan) tetapi saya kongsikan 4 disiplin utama perlu dijaga terlebih dahulu.

1) Kawalan Mental - ini paling penting. Saya sedar, ramai yang mempunyai pelbagai masalah peribadi terutamanya kewangan (saya pun ada masalah berkenaan - itu perkara biasa). Sebelum beriadhah atau beribadah, kita perlu kosongkan diri kita sebentar dari sebarang masalah - biasanya saya akan menarik nafas 3 kali - tarik nafas 1X tahan - lepaskan perlahan-lahan ke kanan. Jika kita tidak memikirkan banyak masalah - sudah tentu kita akan dapat fokus. (begitulah sebaliknya) Kawalan mental juga penting dalam kita beribadah atau berdoa dengan tenang dan bukan dengan perasaan terlalu bimbang dan marah. Kondisi mental kita boleh menyebabkan kita makan dengan jumlah yang terlalu banyak dan ini boleh membahayakan kesihatan dalam tempoh jangka panjang.

2) Senaman dan riadhah - bagi yang telah lama tidak beriadhah dan berusia 40 tahun ke atas walaupun sebelum menunaikan umrah atau haji sekalipun, cara riadhahnya ialah berjalan perlahan-lahan - sekurang-kurangnya 5km (pergi dan balik) dan maksima adalah 10km (pergi dan balik) - jangan lebih dari ini. Sebaiknya jangan fikirkan cuaca - samada pagi atau petang - dingin, teduh atau panas. Kecuali hujan, jika anda menanti cuaca yang baik, mood yang baik, masalah selesai terlebih dahulu, sampai bila-bila pun anda akan jadi malas untuk beriadah.

Semasa riadah berjalan kaki - cuba bernafas secara sederhana menerusi hidung dan bukan menerusi mulut. Jadikan 2 atau 3 langkah = satu nafas. Lepaskan nafas perlahan-lahan ke arah bawah dengan tidak terus tergesa-gesa menghembus nafas keluar.

Jika anda ada masalah jantung atau pernafasan, kurangnya jarak anda kepada 2km (pergi dan balik terlebih dahulu)

(Petua Berlari dan lain-lain gerakan riadhah - akan saya kongsikan kemudian)

3) Petua mandi - sebaiknya siram di kaki terlebih dahulu sehingga suhu badan kita terasa sedikit suam baharu perlahan-lahan siram naik ke atas. Bila tiba pada kepala, basuh muka terlebih dahulu dan renjiskan sedikit air di kepada dan urut sedikit di kawasan ubun-ubun dan perlahan-lahan jiruskan air ke seluruh badan bermula dengan kepala

(Petua tidur, tempoh rehat dsb - akan saya kongsikan kemudian)

4) Ubat-ubatan/makanan - elakkan menggunakan steroid atau pain-killer terutamanya jika anda berusia lebih 40 tahun kerana steroid dan pain killer amat merbahaya sekali terutamanya jika anda mengalami masalah jantung, darah tinggi, kencing manis atau strok. Dapatkan preskripsi doktor dan jalani apa-apa ujian perubatan yang perlu mengenai apa juga ubat-ubatan yang kita nak gunakan terutamanya pain killer. Begitu juga dengan suplemen, herbs dsb. - sebaiknya buat kajian tersendiri bimbang takut akan mengakibatkan kesan sampingan pada tubuh kita.

(mengenai akupuntur, bekam dan urutan - akan saya kongsikan kemudian)

Mee segera/jajan - mee segera sebenarnya tidaklah begitu membahayakan kesihatan tetapi perencah dan perasanya itulah yang menyebabkan ia berbahaya kepada kesihatan dalam tempoh jangkapanjang. Jika terasa nak makan mee segera, buatlah perasa kita sendiri seperti aneka bawang, kicap, garam (bukit/buluh) dan sedikit ayam atau daging dll mengikut citarasa.

Sebaiknya kurangkan mee segera dan jajan - agak-agak saya 3 - 5 bulan sekali, bolehlah. (sebenarnya kalau saya 6 bulan sekali atau setahun sekali)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY ONLY PRINCESS - NIK AMALIN HARISAH

Simple birthday celebration of our only princess, Nik Amalin Harisah (named in honour and with the grace from YAM Tengku Amalin A'ishah Putri binti Almarhum Al-Sultan Ismail Petra)

I still owe my daughter a present and a treat to a great lunch today.

The day that my daughter Nik Amalin Harisah met the YAM Tengku Amalin A'ishah Putri ibni Almarhum Al-Sultan Ismail Petra

She is the most precious person in our lives

A proud youngest brother with his elder sister

CONSTRUCTION STUDY VISIT AND FREE TRAINING/LECTURE

CONSTRUCTION SITE STUDY VISIT

I like to do a study visit at any construction sites in Kuala Lumpur. It's not an audit or assessment, I assure you. Just to get the feel of it and perhaps engaged in value added conversation or suggest unrecorded improvement. It's free of charge - it's all confidential. Anyone interested to take me in? PM me please.

FREE 3 HOURS TRAINING/LECTURE 

I am also doing a free of charge 2 hours training/lecture with 30 minutes - 1 hour Q & A - with detailed information and formats to any organization wishing to engage me for in house or online or even at any conference. Do make your own arrangements- PM or Whatssap me. The topics (1 topic of your choice) would cover Sustainable Development, Good Governance, QHSE including Anti-Bribery Management Systems - any types of industry. Offer valid till end February, 2024. Kuala Lumpur ONLY. 

Conditions : 

1. I am not covering for any rental of conference room, internet, photocopying, certificates or other arrangements such as projector, digital TV, F & B. But my training/lecture will be free.

2. For Selangor and outside KL - will need to discuss other 

arrangements such as mobilization and accommodation. But my training/lecture will be free.

3. I will need the session to be recorded for me and for the entity engaging me for the session.

All notes and slides will be shared or downloaded after the session.

ALERT DON'T FALL FOR UNLICENSED INVESTMENT - A REMINDER BY NIK ZAFRI

Many individuals remain unaware of the necessity for proper licensing from regulatory bodies when engaging in trading activities related to finance, funds, shares, derivatives, and precious metals. Both individuals and the companies they operate must obtain appropriate licenses.

For detailed information, please consult the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007 (CMSA) administered by the Securities Commission. Further reference can also be made to The Banking and Financial Institutions Act, 1989 or Companies Act 1965.

In the case of Gold, Bullion, or FOREX trading, refer to the Exchange Control Act 1953 (ECA 1953), which falls under the direct jurisdiction of Bank Negara Malaysia.

It is crucial to stay informed about these regulations to prevent direct or indirect involvement in illicit activities such as money laundering (The Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 - AMLA) or even bribery (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009).

Avoid seeking loopholes in these regulations. Exercise caution and skepticism, especially when confronted with photos, screenshots of bank accounts, Get Rich Quick Schemes, unlicensed Multi-Level Marketing/Pyramid Schemes, or any other dubious schemes.

Despite current challenges, refrain from adding unnecessary burdens that may lead to suffering for yourself and your loved ones. Stay vigilant and adhere to regulatory guidelines to ensure a secure and lawful financial environment.

HANDLING OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION REGARDING NATIONAL SECURITY - A REMINDER BY A CONCERNED CIVILIAN - NIK ZAFRI

Just a reminder from a concerned "civilian"

I feel it is time for any individual, whether currently in service or a former intelligence operative, or has been deemed a "civilian," especially from elite forces or special units such as:

21st Special Service Regiment, Naval Special Warfare Force, RMAF Special Force, 69 Commando Battalion, Special Action Unit, Special Task and Rescue

or any other intelligence division such as MMEA, MEIO/JPM, SPRM, ESSCOM, KDN, or any Ministry, Department, Agency, or any Association/Organization of Former Intelligence or institutions or academy such as National Defence University or Royal Military College, PULAPOL or any other equivalent entitites - to refrain from conveying, using, or improperly/unauthorized storing of any classified information, mishandling classified information and to not disclose any matter or topic verbally or on social media, and not giving any indication or disseminating any documents, especially in the "public domain," where such matters have been classified as "SECRET" or "CONFIDENTIAL" or "CLASSIFIED" or any other equivalent words implied or expressed, in the form of coding etc.

This includes matters related to Court Martial cases, Weaponry, National Defence, Missions, Internal Crisis, or any other sensitive matters etc., because this is not only a serious offense (with no trial or lifelong imprisonment) but also poses a threat to national security and public peace.

These delicate matters also involve civilians or politicians or government/civil service officials - who may have been exposed intentionally or unintentionally or by coincidence or by circumstantial etc. to any secrets, including journalists, publishers, authors, security firms, ICT or private sectors etc., to safeguard anything classified as "SECRET."

This is not only about Official Secrets Act 1972 or merely duly signed Form D but also other Acts as well, including those involving signing of records/forms and oaths of secrecy conducted internally.

Classified information; unless officially "declassified" or "duly authorized in writing"; should also be considered non-disclosable throughout or after service during the reign of any HRM SPB YPD Agong and the Malay Rulers or any Government within Malaysia whether Federal or State whether in the rulling or opposition factions/parties/coalitions.

Please be reminded that I am only but a concerned "civilian" .

THE AFTERMATH OF POOR WORKMANSHIP IN CONSTRUCTION - Nik Zafri

No names, location and project will be cited. This is just merely information-sharing. Some of the contents have been altered on purpose to avoid legal complications. I am not a professional engineer but my experience has served me well.

Was hired to do a 3rd party quality inspection prior to CCC somewhere in Malaysia (no names, location and project will be cited) I would like to emphasize and make a professional disclaimer that the following case is an isolated case. It does not in any way at all represents the quality of workmanship in construction, building and civil engineering works in Malaysia.

I was a bit nostalgic when asked to do some "QC work" which I have not had much opportunity over the years to really "go down to the field" (too busy doing consulting advising work)

The owner and the authorities somehow "doubted" the inspection results being submitted by the "consultant" that they have hired.

Well, they are right!

a) I looked at the soil conditions in the surroundings and spotted the first problem. It is a bit complicated to have a strong foundation when it comes to housing projects on or even in the vicinity of hilly areas. (I sometimes wonder, how site investigation was conducted on the first place, how the soil test was done during that time - not to mention environmental impact assessment)

The previous consultant inspection did discover some problems of floor slabs, foundations that are cracked etc. But the root cause was inaccurate. It simply said "poor workmanship".

As suspected, I noticed some ground subsidence (settling) problems which by nature may have caused movement of the structure.

Compaction of the subsurface was not sufficient hence potentially creating further problems on the drainage during rainy season.

After a quick investigation, found out that there have been some minor landslides reports in the neighbourhood area which nobody took into account.

b) There have been signs of attempts to recast and hacked out but again, the concrete may not be properly recompacted by proper force of vibration/ ramming. "new" honeycombs are still spotted.

The concrete was not impermeable and densed due to improper compaction.

c) Materials used was definitely superficial. To quote one example, I noticed the windows from inside and outside - lack of sheet metal drip edge above the window header, the flashing is deteriorating, rough framing etc.

Thus, I did my own 'wet run' (spraying the water from inside and outside) - wow...everything started to leak here and there even through the sills. The previous inspection did not take into account the water spray test.

d) There were problems of segregation (mixed ingredients separated) everywhere. My best guess is the mixing was not measured properly against high coarse aggregate. The mix dropping may also have been done without proper chutes (perhaps dropping them through too great a height in placing)

e) Construction joints - poor compaction. There were stains/moistures on the concrete face. This may have been caused due to a layer of concrete laid before pouring is continued and the old concrete was not washed properly.

Ok enough with that, there are a lot more. Let's talk about management during construction

i) This is a clear sign of poor project management

ii) There will also be a problem when you hire foreign workers - communication problem - not to mention language barrier may cause bigger problems

iii) The subcontractors may have been given very complicated jobs and the main contractor may also not been properly supervising

Well, the conclusion made by the project owners/stakeholders and the authorities were not good at all. I don't want to know what happened next.

I chucked when they asked me :

"Nik, are you a professional engineer?"

I replied "not a chance 'in hell' but you can thank my previous employers managing mega projects and my humble years of audit and inspection experience, that's where I learned the trade.

After all, you are the expert (Ir), you should be signing it..not me..aa..aaa."

They nodded and thanked me.

Shoddy construction workmanship/method are the reasons leading to failure of buildings and structural integrity. The root causes? Inadequate QC at site and negligence.

PENAFIAN MENGENAI SILSILAH SYEIKH WAN DAUD FATHANI

Assalaamuálaikum wbr. (Petikan dari FB Page/Akaun saya)

(Saya mengizinkan sesiapa sahaja untuk berkongsi tulisan ini (copy & paste) cuma letakkan kredit nama saya untuk memudahkan penjelasan)

Saya ingin memohon maaf sekiranya posting ini agak panjang sedikit. Dulu, saya ada mendengar khabar, pihak membuat dakwaan bahawa mereka adalah keturunan Almarhum Syeikh Wan Daud Fathani yang dimaqamkan di Taif dalam Wilayah Mekah. Tidak perlulah saya bincangkan biografi Syeikh Wan Daud Fathani kerana banyak sumbernya di Google.

Untuk perbincangan ini, saya menggunakan beberapa screenshot dari geni kerana untuk menulis silsilah Syeikh Wan Daud secara terperinci amatlah rumit kerana terlalu banyak cabangnya. Saya mempunyai kaitan dengan keturunan yang sama menerusi kedua belah ibu (2 jalur - LImbat) dan bapa saya (1 jalur Besut). Tidaklah niat saya untuk berbangga atau riak kerana ilmu/akhlak saya masih jauh jika nak dibandingkan dengan tokoh ulama yang terkenal ini.

Saya juga tidak meletakkan foto Syeikh Wan Daud dan foto maqamnya di Taif atas sebab-sebab peribadi. Tetapi bagi sesiapa yang mengerjakan umrah/haji, ziarah ke maqam Syeikh Wan Daud Fathani adalah salah satu lokasi penting.

Hal yang sama pernah saya bincangkan dengan Allahyarham Ustaz Wan Saghir, salah seorang cucunda kepada Syeikh Wan Ahmad Fathani. Keluarga Syeikh Wan Daud juga berkaitan Almarhum Tuan Guru Hj. Wan Latif, Terengganu (kebanyakan ahli keluarga saya dari jalur Tuan Guru Hj Wan Latif ada di dalam FB saya ini)

Setelah saya teliti, saya dapati mungkin ada yang tertukar dengan 2 orang lagi ulama iaitu Tuan Guru Haji Daud Bukit Abal (Thoriqat Ahmadiyyah) dan Syeikh Wan Daud KHATIB Al-Fathoni. Tetapi timeline kedua ulama ini adalah amat besar jurangnya dengan Syeikh Wan Daud Fathani. Saya husnul zhan mungkin mereka tidak sengaja menghubungkan nama mereka kepada Syeikh Wan Daud Fathani.

Saya pernah membuat satu penafian am suatu masa dahulu tanpa menyebut nama ulama berkenaan dan nama mereka yang mendakwa bagi tidak mengaibkan sesiapa.

Pagi tadi, saya telah menerima satu mesej dari seorang ahli keluarga menerusi Geni meminta tuliskan secara ringkas silsilah Tok Kaya Ratna Diraja Patani (Wan Yusof) untuk membuat penafian kerana masih ada yang mendakwa dan menghubungkan diri mereka kepada Ulama Nusantara terkenal ini.

Malah ada dakwaan bahawa keluarga/kerabat ini bukan keturunan Bugis atau berkaitan dengan Johor (lihat screenshot - Tun Tija (Wan Tija) binti Datuk Laksmana Kota Tinggi - yang berkahwin dengan Andi/Andik Ali/Faqih Ali)

Datuk Perdana Menteri Nik Mahmud Paduka Raja Kelantan pernah menulis:

“Syahdan dan pada suatu masa bulan sedang mengambang di tepi langit, tersebutlah cerita anak raja Bugis lari daripada saudaranya menumpang sebuah bahtera sampai ke Johor dan tumpang duduk berkirim diri rumah Laksamana Kota Tinggi, dipanggil Andik Ali.

“Tatkala Laksamana memandang kepadanya berasalah kasihan belas dan dipeliharanya sebagai anak angkatnya sendiri. Tidak berapa tahun kemudian diperjodohkan dengan anaknya Wan Tija. Tidak berapa lama selepas itu Andik Ali serta dengan isterinya pun beredar ke Patani menumpang di rumah Mekong Damit Kampung Bira pada tahun 1049 H. Maka kerana lemah lembut tingkah lakunya dan berpelajaran orang di Patani memanggilnya Faqih Ali. Di situ ia beristeri kepada Ce' Dewi anak Sri Biji Diraja. Baginda sampai di Patani kira-kira tahun 1637 M”

Ringkasnya Syeikh Wan Daud Fathani dari jalur ibu dan bapanya adalah keturunan Mujaddid Syed Hussein Jamadil Qubra yang menjadi punca utama kepada keturunan Kesultanan Kelantan termasuk Long Gaffar menerusi perkahwinannya dengan Puteri Linang Cahaya binti Raden Mas Arya/Sultan Baki Shah Kerajaan Chermin.

Dari jalur ibunya - Syeikh Daud Fathani adalah salah seorang cicit Tok Kaya Ratna menerusi jalur ibunya.

Wan Fatimah

      |

Wan Salamah

      |

Tok Banda Wan Su

     |

Tok Kaya Rakna Diraja Wan Yusuf

     |

Andi/Andik (Faqih) Ali Datok Maharajalela

     |

Mustafa Datu Jambu (Sultan Abdul Hamid Syah)

     |

Sultan Muzaffar Waliullah bin Sultan Abu Abdullah Umdatuddin)

Sepanjang yang saya tahu - Syeikh Wan Daud Fathani TIDAK pernah berkahwin dan TIDAK pernah ada zuriat kecuali dari punca adik beradiknya. Elakkan bernasab kepada bukan nasab kita kerana perkara ini dilarang.

Saya harap selepas ini, perkara ini agak jelas dan tiada lagi sebarang dakwaan dilakukan. Selebihnya bolehlah ditanyakan kepada mana-mana ahli keluarga Tuan Guru Haji Wan Latiff kerana amanat menjaga silsilah ini juga menjadi tanggungjawab keluarga kami.

Al-Fatihah : Syeikh Wan Daud Al-Fathani

(kebetulan malam ni ada majlis tahlil diikuti infaq asnaf - saya doakan semua pembaca sejahtera, murah rezeki)

Wassalam.

PREVENTION OF BLINDNESS AT WORK - NIK ZAFRI

Another memory of 2023. (End October 2023) In the heart of Bukit Bintang near the entrance of Berjaya Times Square, I was invited to deliver a 10-min lecture (general awareness) on "Prevention of Blindness at Work - Overview of the eye-related problems in the Construction Industry". The event theme was "Sight Awareness 2023" in conjunction with World Sight Day 2023 - organized by Management and Science University - MSU Department of Excellence for Vision and Eyecare (MSU I-Care) co-organized by Women in Governance and Technology Association of Malaysia (WIGTA Malaysia), Lions Club of KL MySight, Lions Eye Clinic Malaysia and Pesona Optometry.