PETALING JAYA: Thirty-six water projects in rural parts of Sabah and Sarawak have been delayed for up to seven years despite receiving approval between 2016 and 2018, according to the 2024 auditor-general’s (A-G) report.
The A-G’s report said these projects, under the federal rural and regional development ministry, were worth a total of RM1.6 billion, with 12 projects in Sarawak (RM888.32 million) and 24 in Sabah (RM758.85 million).
It said the projects aimed at supplying clean water to those residing in rural parts of the states had been delayed between five and seven years.
This has left 32,229 households without supply of clean and treated water, it said, although consultants have been appointed for all of these projects.
The ministry’s reasons for the delays included the need for more time to appoint consultants, prepare and approve the design of the projects; protests from the locals; changes in government procurement policies; changes in work scope; the performance of contractors and the Covid-19 lockdowns.
There were supposed to be 35 projects in Sarawak and 377 in Sabah, meaning a poor completion rate of 51.9% and 34.4%, respectively.
The A-G’s report also said there were several completed projects which were not used or maintained after being handed over to the state governments.
This includes a RM9.2 million service tank which has not been used since the project was completed in March 2018.
