Minister addresses delays in rural water supply projects, connected to those funded by Fed govt

Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, July 5: The delays in implementing rural water supply projects in Sarawak are attributed to projects funded by the Federal government through the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW), according to Minister of Utilities and Telecommunication Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi.

Julaihi clarified that all pre-contract processes, including the appointment of consultants, the Value Management Lab, tender invitations, tender evaluation, contract awarding, and contractor appointment, are fully managed by the Federal government through KKDW.

“However, many projects are delayed due to bureaucracy and lengthy procedures. For example, as many as 12 BALB projects approved between 2016 and 2018 took quite a long time and construction has not yet started as reported in the audit report,” Julaihi said in a statement today.

He emphasised that the pre-contract processes are entirely managed by KKDW, with the Sarawak Rural Water Supply Department only involved in project supervision.

The issue of delays in implementing BALB projects funded by the Federal government through KKDW has been raised and explained several times during the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUS) sittings in November 2023 and May 2024.

The delays have hindered the timely implementation of projects outlined in the Sarawak Water Supply and Water Grid Master Plan.

On July 4, the Auditor-General’s Report 2/2024 revealed that over 30 rural water supply projects in Sarawak and Sabah, with a total cost of over RM1.6 billion, have been delayed by up to seven years.

To address these delays, Julaihi proposed that the allocation for BALB projects under KKDW be channeled directly to the Sarawak Rural Water Supply Department, allowing the use of Sarawak government’s project implementation procedures.

“This is to reduce bureaucracy and long procedures as well as speed up the implementation of the project so that the people of Sarawak can enjoy the water supply as planned,” he added. — DayakDaily