Higher District Engineer Allocation Speed Up Infrastructure Repairs - Nanta

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 9 (Bernama) -- The increase in the allocation for minor works carried out through District Engineers to RM40 million under Budget 2027 will enable urgent, small-scale infrastructure repairs to be carried out more efficiently without lengthy financial application procedures.

Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said the RM10 million increase from RM30 million this year was aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of District Engineers in addressing infrastructure problems in their respective areas.

“For instance, if a minor project needs to be expedited and requires RM2,000, RM3,000 or RM5,000, they would not need to apply for funds from the Public Works Department (JKR), a process that could take a long time,” he told reporters after the tabling of Budget 2027 in Parliament today.

He said the approach, introduced in 2024, would be continued and progressively strengthened to ensure district-level problems could be addressed promptly, thereby improving service delivery to the public.

Earlier, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that the allocation for minor works carried out through District Engineers would be increased to RM40 million from RM30 million this year, including to expedite road repairs such as pothole patching.

Meanwhile, Nanta said opportunities for G1 to G4 Bumiputera contractors would also be strengthened through an increase in the value of procurement set aside for them to RM7.5 billion from RM4 billion in 2024, representing an increase of 87.5 per cent.

He said the procurement value did not involve the Works Ministry (KKR) alone, but also covered projects implemented by other agencies, as the construction industry fell under the purview of the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), while JKR also handled various other projects.

On the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras along the North-South Expressway (PLUS), Nanta said the initiative would support traffic monitoring and strengthen incident management along the highway.

He said the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) had also received an allocation to provide more shelters for motorcyclists, giving them safe and comfortable places to take cover during rain.

Meanwhile, Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PN-Kubang Kerian) described Budget 2027 as covering a wide range of issues affecting the public.

However, he hoped the government would also focus on several key issues, particularly plans to extend the East Coast Expressway (LPT) to Terengganu and ensure balanced development across regions remained a priority.

He said allocations for flood mitigation projects should also be increased in line with rising flood risks, including a review of design standards from a 50-year Average Recurrence Interval (ARI) to a 100-year ARI to improve the effectiveness of flood mitigation measures.

-- BERNAMA