Kota Kinabalu: Former Chief Minister Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak has called for federal funds, earmarked for Sabah, to be channelled to the State Government to ensure the smooth implementation of projects allocated to the State.In making the call, he said there was a need to adopt a different approach, particularly with funds for infrastructure, housing, agriculture or rural development projects for the good of the people and the State.
Salleh, who is also Sabah Umno liaison deputy chairman, said this was in line with the concept of the federal system whereby more delegation and decentralisation of authority should be implemented.
"Sabah bureaucracy is capable of handling the implementation (of the earmarked projects)," he said here, Monday.
The Sabah Legislative Assembly Speaker was commenting on the recent statement by Sarawak Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud who wanted all Sarawak members of parliament appointed to the Federal Government to resolve the State's infrastructure development issues which were unique, compared to those in the peninsula.
On the appointment of six representatives from Sabah as Ministers in Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's new Federal Cabinet line-up, Salleh believed that Sabahans were expecting these Ministers to effectively implement the various projects earmarked for the State.
Sabah, a Barisan Nasional (BN) stronghold, is represented in the Federal Cabinet by Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal (Minister of Rural and Regional Development), Datuk Seri Anifah Aman (Minister of Foreign Affairs), Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili (Minister of Energy, Green Technology and Water), Tan Sri Joseph Kurup (Minister in the Prime Minister's Department), Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan (Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government) and Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin (Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation).
The Deputy Ministers who represent Sabah are Datuk Mary Yap (Ministry of Education), Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri (Ministry of Defence), Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin (Ministry of Works) and Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun (Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.
