The Consumers' Association of Penang is deeply disappointed with the recent announcement by the Works Minister S Samy Vellu that architects and engineers will soon take over the responsibility for the issuance of the Certificate of Fitness (CF) from the local authorities.

According to the minister, this is being done in order to speed up the issuance of the CFs.

If that is the reason, the government should be working hard at cutting down bureaucratic red tape in the application and issuance of CFs and not take the easy way out by letting the private sector take over.

The problem of conflict of interest is unavoidable when architects and engineers - who work for developers - are given the authority to issue CFs.

On the other hand, approval by local authorities means that a government body has inspected the building and declared it safe for occupation and that the developer and the architects/engineers have complied with relevant procedures. This would increase the confidence of homebuyers.

Without the local authorities' role, there will be no system of checks and balances, which are of great importance since the safety and lives of people are involved.

The government cannot absolve its responsibility to the public. The issuance of CFs must remain with the local authorities.

The writer is the president of the Consumers Association of Penang.