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THE federal government remains firmly committed to protecting public safety and strengthening critical infrastructure, including flood mitigation, water supply, electricity reliability and renewable energy development, despite fiscal limitations and governance challenges.
Deputy Prime Minister II Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof told the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday that the King’s address delivered on Jan 19 had provided a clear and principled framework for national development.
In delivering the ministry’s winding-up speech on the Royal Address debate in the Dewan Rakyat, Fadilllah, who also serves as the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (PETRA), said: “His Majesty’s address not only reflects deep concern for the well-being of the people, but also serves as guidance and a compass for the government and honourable Members of this House in formulating policies and implementing development in a fair, balanced and effective manner.
He said the scale of parliamentary engagement reflected the importance of PETRA’s responsibilities, with 28 Members of Parliament raising 32 issues under the ministry’s portfolio, particularly on floods, coastal erosion, water supply disruptions, electricity stability and sustainable energy.
On flood mitigation, he said the government is pursuing long-term structural solutions through large-scale Flood Mitigation Projects, with 140 projects nationwide approved under Rolling Plan 1 of the 13th Malaysia Plan and currently at various stages of implementation.
Further projects will be considered in subsequent rolling plans, subject to national priorities and fiscal capacity.
Flood mitigation planning, he said, is guided by the Flood Mitigation Master Plan to ensure alignment with large-scale development and to prevent increased risks to local communities.
He added that PETRA is closely monitoring ongoing projects, especially those involving technical challenges, safety considerations, land acquisition and utility coordination.
Addressing coastal erosion, he said the Department of Irrigation and Drainage applies an Integrated Shoreline Management Plan that classifies erosion severity and prioritises critical areas for structural interventions, while moderate and lower-risk zones are managed through continuous monitoring and development controls.
He said PETRA would work with the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority to resolve erosion issues at Kuala Cenang Jetty in Langkawi, with technical coordination led by the department.
River conservation and drainage maintenance, he said, remain essential short-term measures to reduce immediate flood risks while larger infrastructure projects are being developed.
For 2026, the government has allocated RM189.9 million for river conservation projects focusing on dredging, riverbank stabilisation and drainage upgrades.
On early warning systems, he said PETRA operates the Flood Forecasting and Warning Programme, which enables flood forecasts up to seven days in advance and public warnings as early as two days before anticipated events.
Information is disseminated through multiple platforms, including the MyPublicInfoBanjir application.
Turning to water supply, he clarified that infrastructure planning and development in Sabah and Sarawak fall under state jurisdiction, but said the federal government continues to provide financial support to ensure universal access to treated water.
Under the 12th Malaysia Plan, RM3.38 billion in loans were approved for 18 water supply projects in Sabah, while Sarawak received RM1.2 billion for six projects.
Both states, he said, also received federal funding for Non-Revenue Water reduction programmes, with Sabah allocated RM349 million and Sarawak RM243.5 million.
These initiatives include new and upgraded water treatment plants, feasibility studies and system maintenance works.
Addressing recurring water disruptions in Labuan, he said the federal government had approved a special allocation of RM300 million for urgent infrastructure upgrades. Ten projects worth RM150 million have been approved, with four short-term projects already completed and the remaining projects progressing through medium- and long-term implementation phases.
In Perak, where certain areas continue to face water stress, he said short-term measures include the installation of new pipelines to provide alternative supply, while a new water treatment plant, LRA Trong 2, is being developed as a long-term solution and is expected to be completed in 2028.
On electricity supply, he said reliability in Labuan has improved through the installation of distribution automation systems and extensive underground cable upgrades, reducing the average system interruption duration from 96 minutes in 2024 to 82 minutes in 2025.
A new 120MW power plant in Rancha-Rancha is under construction to replace the ageing Patau-Patau facility, with operations targeted to begin in January 2028.
On renewable energy, he said rooftop solar installations under the Net Energy Metering programme had reached 3.38MW across 123 mosques in Peninsular Malaysia as of December 2025.
He encouraged religious institutions to participate in the newly launched Solar ATAP programme, which offers stronger financial returns than self-consumption systems.
He said the installation of solar systems in national schools falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, but PETRA supports broader adoption of rooftop solar across government institutions as part of the national energy sustainability agenda.
Responding to allegations of money laundering and corruption linked to investment transactions involving IJM Corporation and Sunway Berhad, he said Sunway’s proposal was a voluntary general offer extended equally to all shareholders.
“This voluntary general offer is not a transaction negotiated with any specific shareholder and is not targeted at Permodalan Nasional Berhad or any other institution,” he said.
He added that PNB, as a minority shareholder, would assess the offer independently based on commercial value, governance processes and risk considerations, stressing that the outcome depends on acceptance by more than half of IJM’s shareholders.
Concluding his address, he thanked Members of Parliament for their engagement and called for continued cooperation in addressing public concerns.
“God willing, together we will provide the best service in finding solutions to all issues raised. Above all, our priority is to resolve the problems faced by the people, the states and the nation so that Malaysia continues to remain peaceful, progressive and prosperous,” he said. - February 4, 2026
