KOTA KINABALU, Dec 19 — More digitisation and automated processes can help projects approved under the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP) meet its scheduled completion, federal Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli said today.

He acknowledged the operational issues and speed bumps in the process, but said that his ministry is planning to include more digitisation and automated processes to prevent delays in implementation and avoid the accumulation of problematic projects.

"For instance, project applications are now submitted digitally through a portal. Previously, applications involved physical letters, which were time-consuming to process.

"We’ve also integrated tools like Google Maps to verify project locations efficiently, reducing the chances of misuse or inappropriate proposals,” he told reporters here after attending an engagement session with the Sabah government on the 13MP, held at the Pacific Sutera Hotel.

He said the implementation of online submissions and the use of tools like Google Maps have significantly expedited the approval process compared to in the past, when applications were submitted in letters.

"Imagine, people would ask for roads to be built right up to their doorstep. So we have to check and be careful. That’s why projects can get delayed,” he said, adding that the vetting and approval team consisted of only five people.

Rafizi added that the ministry hopes to increase staff but noted that doing so would incur additional expenses.

With the public expecting high-quality services, the ministry plans to address the issue through automation of the application process.

However, to address the bottleneck in the vetting and approvals, he said that funds for feasibility studies or preliminary work will be made available so they can avoid land-related issues once projects are approved.

"Only after this can they apply again for approval to proceed with the next phase. Previously, this was not done. For example, when applying to build a school, the application would go through without addressing land issues first.”

"So for instance, the state wants to build a school but there is no land available yet. So, we approve the project to proceed. But once the project is approved and starts, we then go to secure the land, but find it unsuitable.

"Then, three years later, suitable land still cannot be found. This is what turns a project into a problematic one. When the project’s implementation is not progressing as scheduled, it is categorized as a problematic project,” he said.

With the new process, proponents have to first check with the federal or state land banks before proceeding with their applications.

During the dialogue session earlier, several attendees including elected representatives questioned the ministry about the delays in approving Sabah’s development project applications.

They noted that many applications submitted early in the year were only approved toward the end of the year, leaving insufficient time for the state government to complete subsequent processes and launch the projects.

They also asked why federal departments could not complete approvals and disburse funds earlier in the year, which would allow Sabah to implement projects more efficiently.

Such delays often result in unutilised funds being returned to the federal treasury to the state’s loss.