Kota Kinabalu: Sabahans should not be confused by large development figures without distinguishing between total project value, annual allocations, funds channelled and actual expenditure, said Chief Minister’s Chief Political Secretary Datuk Azrul Ibrahim (pic).Citing the Rural Water Supply (BALB) programme, he said 83 projects worth a total RM4.065 billion were approved for Sabah in 2026, but the allocation for the year was RM143 million.
“The RM4.065 billion is not money that has been spent in one year. It is the total value of projects implemented according to their respective timelines and progress,” he said in a Facebook post.
Azrul said implementation authority for the 83 projects was handed to the State Government in April, with some projects still at the pre-implementation stage and others under construction or completed, while some BALB projects had faced delays since the 11th Malaysia Plan.
He said development success should therefore not be measured solely by the size of allocations, adding that approved projects must be implemented and delays addressed so that the people see results on the ground.