KOTA KINABALU, June 21 — Sabah has spent RM1.479 billion or about 28.15 per cent of the RM5.254 billion allocation to implement 1,098 projects approved under the second rolling plan of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) as at June 12 this year.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the state government hoped to better the national performance of 36.8 per cent by implementing development projects in the state according to schedule.

As such, he wants all ministries and agencies to pay closer attention and take follow-up actions to ensure the smooth implementation of planned development projects.

"If there are ineffective regulations, find ways to ensure implementation can be conducted speedily.

"We need to work as a team and this is used as a platform to share information for discussing and finding solutions to issues on implementation of development projects in the state,” he said.

He said this in a statement today after chairing the second meeting of the Sabah State Development Action Council at Menara Kinabalu here.

Hajiji urged government agencies and departments to give serious attention to the 69 projects classified as sick in Sabah.

"If it was caused by state departments or agencies, I ask them not to delay projects from the federal government and to give their cooperation because every project like building of school and hospital is for the people.

"If payments are slow, we have to do something, and if contractors are giving problems, action has to be taken. I also ask that powers be delegated to federal officers in Sabah if it involves federal projects. This will speed up decision making and ensure projects are completed on schedule,” he added.

Hajiji also called for coordination among all federal and state departments and agencies involved in the implementation of the Program Perumahan Rakyat Termiskin (PPRT) in Sabah as there was a pressing need for housing for the poor in the state.

"I was told that 710 PPRT houses were built in Sabah this year. Actually, this is not enough because we asked for 2,000 units but only 710 were approved,” he said. — Bernama