Pairin Advices Departments To Fully Use Allocations Under 10th Malaysia Plan

KOTA KINABALU, July 5 (Bernama) -- Sabah Infrastructure Development Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan today reminded departments under his ministry to fully use funds allocated to them under the 10th Malaysia Plan.

Pairin, who is Deputy Chief Minister, urged department heads to be proactive in ensuring that the allocations were spent as planned.

"If there are issues delaying certain projects, I suggest that the allocations be transferred to other projects for which funds had not been set aside but which are ready to be implemented," he said at a meeting with officers of his ministry and departments and agencies under it.

He told them that they were under constant scrutiny because the ministry was responsible for infrastructure in the state.

"I realise the issues that frequently crop up in the media are not all accurate and based on facts, but we have to handle them and clarify the situation so that we are not seen as lacking in the discharge of responsibilities entrusted to us," Pairin said.

He said that department beads must be hands on to understand problems that the people faced.

"Issues raised at the state assembly must be given special attention and resolved because we do not want them to be brought up repeatedly," he added.

Pairin also suggested that an estimate be prepared for landslides and road damage in view of the present unpredictable weather so that the ministry could apply in advance for the funds.