Kuala lumpur: Some 115 of the 151 local authorities (PBTs), or 76.16 percent, have been rated green under the PBT Traffic Light System, while none have been rated red. Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming announced that the remaining 36 local authorities, or 23.84 percent, were rated yellow.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Nga emphasized that the system enables performance and implementation issues to be monitored more systematically and in real time, not only at the PBT level but also across various stages of the approval process involving internal and external technical agencies, as well as Principal Submitting Persons/Submitting Persons. He stated, "This approach strengthens transparency and ensures that performance is not only measured, but also monitored and followed up with appropriate action."
Nga highlighted that PBTs with good performance and a green rating could be considered for larger allocations to implement development projects, while underperforming PBTs would need to take corrective measures to improve service delivery. He also spoke on efforts to enhance PBT services, noting that the PBT Star Rating System had been strengthened to include assessments by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and the National Audit Department, alongside areas such as management, core service delivery, customer management, and community participation.
Service delivery improvements were further seen through the implementation of OSC 3.0 Plus, including a fast-lane mechanism to expedite approvals for development applications that met the required conditions. As of July, more than 130 applications had been processed through various mechanisms, with compliance with the customer charter rising to 95 percent in August, compared to an average of 65 percent last year.
Nga also emphasized the ministry's focus on Cost-Benefit Analysis and Return on Investment in managing an annual allocation of about RM450 million for projects across all 151 PBTs, which cover infrastructure, socio-economic infrastructure, public safety, and public amenities. He remarked, "Government money is the people's money. Every ringgit must be spent prudently and every project must deliver results for the people. A completed project does not necessarily mean it is successful if it does not solve the people's problems."
Regarding building regulations, Nga mentioned that the gazettement of the Uniform Building By-Laws (UBBL) was part of efforts to modernize development and building regulations so they remain relevant to technological advances, safety requirements, and current sustainability needs. Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, and Terengganu have completed the gazettement process, while other states are at various stages of review by their respective state legal advisers or finalizing draft amendments.
Looking ahead, Nga announced that KPKT would organize the 2026 National PBT Convention this weekend, bringing together local government leaders from across the country to share best practices, assess current achievements, and discuss measures to strengthen local government institutions. "We want PBTs that are faster, more efficient, cleaner, and closer to the people. Reform must deliver results, and the people must feel the difference," he concluded.