KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — The government has defended its decision to provide larger development allocations for Sabah and Sarawak, citing their geographical challenges and infrastructure needs.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said these needs included the poor condition of roads in several areas of Sabah, despite its smaller population compared with other states.
“We should not look at this from the perspective of just one state when it comes to addressing the needs of Sabah and Sarawak.
“No, the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) must be viewed as a national covenant. It is in our collective interest to safeguard the interests of everyone,” he said in response to Beluran MP Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee's supplementary query during the Minister's Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
Ronald sought clarification on the decision to reduce or withhold allocations for certain projects in Sabah and Sarawak under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW), despite the two states being entitled to greater allocations under MA63.
He also raised the possibility that political differences influenced the decision.
In response, Anwar said the development allocations for Sabah and Sarawak announced in Budget 2027 did not include expenditure for the projects under KKDW that the MP raised.
“What we announced were projects approved based on the latest assessments,” he said.
The government acknowledges that development allocations will not be sufficient to meet every need, but it must ensure good governance to prevent leakages.
Anwar said the procurement processes and contract awards also need to be scrutinised to ensure compliance with regulations and take into account the capacity to implement the projects.
