CM Joint Committee Proposed for Cambodia

• 28 March 2016
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The Construction Management Association of Korea (CMAK) has been assisting Cambodia to implement the Construction Management System (CM) with the aim to improve construction quality for future buildings in the kingdom.

To ensure effective CM improvement, CMAK proposes setting up a joint committee called the Cambodia-Korea Construction Collaboration Committee that will comprise of entities from the private and public sectors from both nations.

The draft joint committee proposed by CMAK, acquired by Construction and Property Magazine in mid-February, states that the committee is mandated to support activities for effective CM improvement, training construction personnel and technology and establishing joint venture companies or strategic partnerships in Cambodia.

It will also research new construction projects by joint venture companies or strategic partnerships which have the potential to apply the CM system. The last task is to carry out any other type of projects designed by the joint committee in relation to the development of the construction industry in Cambodia.

Established in 1997 with over 170 contractors in South Korea, CMAK signed an MoU with the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction (MLMUPC) in 2014 to help prepare the kingdom’s construction code to bring CM system services to Cambodia.

In the same year, CMAK has also signed a similar agreement with the Cambodia Constructors Association (CCA) whose members include over 100 construction-related firms. As the proposed joint committee aims primarily to get membership from these two institutions, MLMUPC is awaiting comments from the CCA regarding the draft agreement before providing feedback to the Korean side.

CMAK sent the CM Manual based on Korean practice to help the Cambodian side develop the CM Prakas that will fit with the Cambodian context. The Prakas is expected to be completed late this year.

Once the government enacts the law, buildings in Cambodia, especially new projects, will need to comply with the CM system to enhance the building quality as well as saving construction cost.

Interestingly, CM practice will also give birth to firms that can earn significant fees by providing CM services to projects across the country.

“Using proper construction management can save construction cost, time, ensure quality and safety. It also includes the construction risk management,” said Professor Hyun Soo Lee of College of Engineering, Seoul National University who represents CMAK. “But it is very hard to apply the South Korean construction methods here since Cambodia doesn’t have a well-organised construction law yet.”

The CM system will also affect the long-awaited construction law that is predicted by MLMUPC officials to be enacted in this government’s fifth mandate. Industry insiders hope the law can solve various issues related to the construction industry.

Speaking at a follow-up meeting with CMAK and CCA, H.E. Im Chhun Lim, MLMUPC Minister welcomed CMAK’s assistance and committed to completing the CM Prakas late this year, with the aim of applying it in 2017.

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