Kuala lumpur: The Federal Government will begin joint monitoring with the Sabah Government on all water, electricity, and road projects in the state on a monthly basis from January next year, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He stated that the new approach is crucial to ensuring that fundamental issues, such as water and electricity supply and unsatisfactory road conditions in several areas, can be resolved without delay, thereby reducing project implementation delays.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the monitoring will cover projects under both the Federal and state governments, including school repairs, village infrastructure, the Pan Borneo highway project, and other critical upgrading works. ‘I have proposed to the committee in the Prime Minister’s Department that beginning January, we will start joint monitoring of projects with the state government. Whether state or Federal projects, we will review their progress and monitor them every month,’ Anwar said during the Sentuhan MADANI event at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), attended by Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and other notable officials.
Anwar mentioned that the joint monitoring system, which involves district officers and state and Federal development agencies, aims to ensure that the hundreds of planned projects can be implemented faster than before. The government’s priority is to make sure that all development pledges do not remain as mere announcements but are translated into real action. He emphasized that there should be no further delays in approving Federal projects in the state.
Meanwhile, Anwar shared that during his two-day visit to Sabah during the election, he had the opportunity to observe the situation on the ground and meet many local leaders. This enabled the government to understand the strengths of various ethnic communities and assess suitable measures to enhance the state’s development drive. The Prime Minister highlighted that his visit to Sabah immediately after the election was to dispel the perception that politicians only make promises during election campaigns and become complacent once they win. Instead, he asserted that the government should demonstrate its commitment from the outset to work and fulfil the people’s mandate.