Kuala Lumpur: The Ministry of Economy has introduced new guidelines for the preparation of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) and the application process for development projects spanning 2026 to 2030. These guidelines are intended to serve as a reference for ministries, departments, and government agencies.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Minister of Economy, Datuk Seri Rafizi Ramli, stated that this initiative aims to enhance and streamline the federal government’s implementation of development projects. By introducing new approaches, the guidelines focus on cost control to prevent financial waste, leaks, and project delays.
The new strategies involve categorizing development projects into two distinct groups. Previously, ministries and agencies could submit projects ranging from a few million Ringgit to those worth billions annually. However, the updated approach dictates that high-value projects exceeding RM300 million can only be submitted biennially, starting with the Rolling Plan 1, which will be open for submissions between March 1, 2025, and March 31, 2025. If applications are not submitted during this period, they may be resubmitted in 2027. Projects valued at less than RM300 million can continue to be submitted annually through the Rolling Plan.
During a question and answer session at the Dewan Rakyat, Rafizi addressed a query from Riduan Rubin (Independent – Tenom) regarding measures to streamline the implementation of 13MP projects, particularly in Sabah, to prevent delays and failures. Rafizi explained that the separation of projects is necessary because mismatches between planning and project size often lead to implementation delays or weaknesses. Proper planning, he noted, would ensure smooth execution.
The minister also mentioned new instructions aimed at optimizing the use of existing land owned by the Federal Land Commissioner and land managed by the Department of the Director General of Lands and Mines (JKPTG). Responding to Riduan’s supplementary question about the return of unused development allocations to the federal government, Rafizi confirmed that current regulations require any unspent funds to be returned.