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THE Government has saved RM1.7 billion by fast-tracking the construction of the Sungai Golok Integrated River Basin Project (PLSB), said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar, who is also the Minister of Finance, said the savings came from the decision to combine all three phases of the project, including the phase managed by the National Security Council.
“… in our discussions, the Sungai Golok, Rantau Panjang, and the dredging and cleaning of the mouth of the Sungai Golok involve both the Federal Government and the Thai Government,” he said, adding, by accelerating the process, the cost savings for all three phases of the PLSB Sungai Golok project amount to RM1.7 billion.
“That’s why I say governance and transparency in projects must be maintained,” he added during the Minister's Question Time in Dewan Rakyat today.
The Prime Minister also noted that the Kelantan state government had committed to completing land acquisition within six months, a significant reduction from the previous timeline of over 24 months.
Anwar made these comments in response to a question from Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muar), who inquired about proactive measures to address flooding during monsoon seasons, as well as mitigating potential future flooding in flood-prone areas.
The Prime Minister explained that, according to earlier projections, the third phase of the Sungai Golok PLSB project was scheduled to start in 2027. However, the government decided to expedite the project to reduce potential losses.
Nevertheless, Anwar clarified that the speed of the project’s progression depends on the land acquisition process.
“… what we are doing now is accelerating it, meaning the land acquisition process must be completed quickly. Sometimes, the state takes two years, at best one year, so I told the Kelantan Menteri Besar yesterday that it cannot take that long. If the land acquisition is completed in six months, we will begin the PLSB project in six months,” he said.