PUTRAJAYA, Nov 12 — The performance of development projects this year is less than satisfactory and requires further improvement, said the Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar.
He said that RM85.87 billion was allocated for 9,524 projects, with RM64.03 billion already spent, representing a national average of 74.56 per cent. Of this amount, only 16 ministries have exceeded the national average.
“Therefore, I urge each secretary-general to convene the Ministry Development Action Council (MTPK) meetings as scheduled under Directive No. 1 of 2020,” Shamsul said.
He was speaking at the National Development Awards (APN) 2025 ceremony officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today.
Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Datuk Seri Dr Zaliha Mustafa, and Public Service Department Director-General Tan Sri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz.
Shamsul added that the Public Works Department (JKR) has been tasked with reviewing the implementation of physical projects to ensure they are carried out more efficiently and effectively, so that the benefits of development reach the people as scheduled.
He said the nation is preparing for the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), themed 'Redefining Development' (Melakar Semula Pembangunan), for the 2026-2030 period.
“I urge all civil servants to make thorough preparations now. We need to be more agile and innovative in coordinating efforts to implement over 120 strategies and more than 600 initiatives outlined,” Shamsul said.
He noted that Budget 2026, tabled by Anwar on October 10, reflects the government’s commitment to continuing to assist the people without increasing national debt, while laying a solid foundation for inclusive and sustainable long-term economic growth.
Shamsul highlighted key 12MP initiatives, including SejaTi Madani, Santuni Madani, Sekolah Angkat Madani, Kampung Angkat Madani, and Sejahtera Madani.
“The SejaTi Madani programme, aimed at building community economic capacity, has benefited 9,655 community groups nationwide, with allocations of RM590 million in 2024 and RM600 million this year,” he said.
Sejahtera Madani focuses on improving the socio-economic status of households listed in the eKasih system.
“As of October 30, the 'Tabung Kesejahteraan Rakyat' fund has collected RM64.10 million from 29 strategic partners for this programme,” Shamsul said.
For Kampung Angkat Madani, 219 villages are involved in 603 programme scopes covering infrastructure upgrades, new construction, social and educational facilities, electricity and solar supply, improved telecommunications access, and TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training), with allocations of RM177.34 million.
Approximately 915 schools have been selected under Sekolah Angkat Madani, with total allocations of RM34.63 million, including 720 schools under corporate matching with RM17.23 million in funding.
He said the civil service must continually streamline control and compliance mechanisms and delivery methods to keep pace with global technological advancements.
“Therefore, more agile, collaborative, and adaptive government workflows are necessary,” Shamsul said, noting that the government is actively exploring future technologies such as blockchain to enhance transparency and efficiency in public service delivery.
“Some government agencies have already adopted this technology, such as the Marine Department with the Digital Seafarer Card and the Health Ministry with the Vaccine Management System,” he said.
At the same time, the Chief Secretary said the civil service must prepare to adopt Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) to safeguard all digital communications from future cyber threats.
“The implementation of both technologies in the public sector poses unique challenges because government data is highly sensitive, including health data and people’s personal information. The design must be meticulous to ensure confidential data is not exposed,” Shamsul said.
