Kuala Lumpur:Rural road development projects worth RM1.7 billion in Sabah have not been cancelled but merely postponed, pending a review and realignment of allocation ceilings. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department for Sabah and Sarawak Affairs, Datuk Mustapha Sakmud, emphasized this point during a session in the Dewan Rakyat.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan provided a detailed explanation on the matter during the debate on the Supply (Budget) 2027 Bill for the Finance Ministry. Mustapha reiterated that the projects were postponed, not cancelled, and this clarification was necessary following public and media inquiries.

The status of these projects had sparked controversy due to alleged conflicting statements regarding the postponement of 13 rural road infrastructure projects in Sabah and Sarawak. Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau sought clarity on the projects' status, citing alleged cancellation claims by the Deputy Prime Minister. Additionally, Datuk Willie Mongin reported claims from contractors about receiving cancellation letters, urging for transparent communication.

Mustapha proposed prioritizing Sabah-born students for admissions to medical programmes at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). This measure aims to address the shortage of medical personnel in the state, highlighted by 245 medical officers failing to report for duty despite placement allowances.

The Dewan Rakyat approved the RM8,798,331,500 allocation for the Prime Minister's Department's operating and development expenditure under Budget 2027, following a debate by 42 MPs.