KUCHING, Dec 31: The Ministry of Infrastructure and Port Development (MIPD) aims to salvage all sick projects and implement existing projects according to schedule and standard next year.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas who is also the minister in charge of MIPD said the ministry had successfully reduced the number of sick projects from the initial record of 91 projects in July 2022 to 35 in November 2022.
The Public Works Department (JKR) has been entrusted to complete tendering all the 35 sick projects until July 2023.
“MIPD has a budget of RM795.7 million to implement new infrastructure, riverine ports, public and government buildings next year.
“We need to utilise the fund fully and transparently so the people, especially those in the distant interiors, will get what they rightly deserve.
“In this respect too, we must avoid the obnoxious sick project occurrence at all cost,” he said in his New Year’s Message today.
He also said the ministry aims to complete comprehensive planning of rural roads toward connecting all settlements by 2030 as well as conduct extensive discussion on reviewing the high cost of road construction including the use of local materials and river gravel.
The ministry, he added, will also install the necessary modern port facilities to top up efficiency and efficacy.
“We will have a Port Masterplan Study starting with the Miri Port Authority first. We hope this June we can come up with some proposals to the government on the way forward for our ports.
“This will make 2023 a daunting and challenging year for all of us at the ministry, JKR, the port authorities, and all relevant departments under it,” he elaborated.
Uggah who is also the minister in charge of Unit for Other Religions (Unifor) stated that the unit will continue its programme to assist houses of worship of the Christian, Buddhist, Sikh, Taoist and Bahai as well as mission schools next year.
Following this, he thanked Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg for his generosity to allocate RM100 million to Unifor.
As the chairman of Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC), Uggah also advised those who had not taken booster dose to do so in preventing Covid-19 infection which is still around.
“Finally, I appeal to all Sarawakians to continue to remain united and give full support to our Premier in his effort to transform Sarawak to a high-income society by 2030.
“With these thoughts in mind, my family and I would like to take this opportunity to wish all a blessed, prosperous, and healthy year ahead,” he concluded. — DayakDaily
