Photo: Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: Sabah and Sarawak have recorded the highest number of development projects under the Fourth Rolling Plan (RP4) of the 12th Malaysia Plan (RMKe-12), according to Dr Zaliha Mustafa (pic).
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) stated that Sabah and Sarawak registered 1,244 and 1,124 projects, respectively, under the RM90bil allocation for RP4, significantly higher than Perlis, which recorded only 172 projects.
However, their spending performance fell below the national average of 65.83%, with Sabah at 46.70% and Sarawak at 54.43%, she told the Dewan Rakyat on Monday (Nov 18).
Dr Zaliha mentioned that the Federal Territories received RM23.61bil, the second-highest allocation, after the "Multiple States" category, which involves projects spanning two or more states, such as highway alignments and inter-state water transfer projects.
Despite receiving a substantial allocation, the Federal Territories managed to spend RM16.39bil, achieving a spending performance of 69.40%, surpassing the national average.
While Sabah and Sarawak lead in the number of projects, the Federal Territories stand out for maintaining a spending performance above the national average, she said.
Among the states, Pahang recorded the highest spending performance at 74.65%, followed closely by Melaka at 74.27%.
Despite Melaka receiving the smallest allocation of RM927 million, its prudent spending practices placed it in second position.
Terengganu came third with a spending performance of 72.39%, Dr Zaliha noted.
In contrast, Kedah registered the lowest spending performance among the Peninsular states at 53.43%.
Dr Zaliha also highlighted efforts to enhance the implementation of development projects in Sabah and Sarawak.
From March 1, 2023, the Public Works Department (JKR) and Department of Irrigation and Drainage (JPS) in both states were recognised as technical departments authorised to oversee projects valued at RM50mil and below.
This recognition, formalised under Treasury Directive (AP) 182, aims to streamline the execution of projects in these regions, she added.
These measures are part of our commitment to improving the delivery of development projects in Sabah and Sarawak, ensuring that resources are utilised effectively and efficiently, said Dr Zaliha.
The "Multiple States" category accounted for RM30.21bil of the total RP4 allocation, reflecting the government's focus on large-scale infrastructure projects that benefit multiple regions, she mentioned.
According to her, such projects include highway construction and inter-state water transfer systems, aimed at enhancing connectivity and resource distribution across the nation.
Dr Zaliha reiterated the importance of balancing resource allocation with effective project execution to ensure equitable development nationwide.
We must continue to focus on both the quantity and quality of project implementation to achieve our development goals under RMKe-12, she emphasised.
Dr Zaliha stated that the government remains committed to addressing challenges in spending and implementation to maximise the impact of development projects across Malaysia, particularly in states with high project numbers but lower spending performance.
