No Overlapping Allocations For Rural Road Projects - KKDW

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- The Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW) has stressed that there is no overlap in allocations or the scope of implementation of rural road projects between the ministry and other agencies, including the Malaysian Road Records Information System (MARRIS).

Deputy Minister Datuk Rubiah Wang said the guidelines governing road construction and maintenance by the respective agencies were clear, with KKDW responsible only for constructing Rural Link Roads on a one-off basis before handing over completed roads to the state government or relevant agencies, particularly the Public Works Department (JKR), for monitoring.

She said any subsequent repairs or upgrading works would be carried out using MARRIS allocations, subject to approval and registration under the system.

“KKDW will not undertake upgrading works on roads already registered under MARRIS, while the Rural Road Programme does not overlap with those of other ministries as it is implemented exclusively by KKDW,” she said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.

She was responding to a supplementary question from Roslan Hashim (PN-Kulim Bandar Baharu), who wanted to know how the ministry prevented overlapping allocations for rural roads among KKDW, the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) and MARRIS.

Earlier, in reply to the original question from Datuk Matbali Musah (GRS-Sipitang) on the readiness to upgrade the Meligan-Long Pasia Road, Rubiah said the 42-kilometre project in Sipitang, Sabah, had been proposed under the First Rolling Plan (RP1) of the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).

However, she said priority should currently be given to the earlier phase, involving the upgrading of the Kampung Bamban-Mendulong-Meligan Road, which was now undergoing its third tender process at the Sabah JKR.

“This phased implementation is important to ensure the continuity and effectiveness of the road network leading to Long Pasia.

“Therefore, the proposal to upgrade the Meligan-Long Pasia Road can be reconsidered under a subsequent RP1, subject to the implementation of the earlier phase, the Sabah state government's priorities and approval from the Ministry of Finance,” she said.

Rubiah said the ministry remained committed to proceeding with approved projects, including those in Sipitang, once its financial allocation position stabilised following recent constraints arising from the deferment of the issuance of Letters of Acceptance (SST).

-- BERNAMA