Project implementation must be satisfactory - Ismail Sabri

The announcement of large allocations for development projects by the government for the people will not be meaningful if the implementation is unsatisfactory.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said, as such, the delivery system must be emphasized to ensure there were no 'sick projects' as happened in Sarawak.

He said since 2010 up to today there were 92 sick projects in Sarawak.

"The people's expectations at the grassroots level is very high for agencies under the ministry to implement projects that are being announced (by the prime minister)," he said at the state level ministry's excellence service 2015 certificate presentation here today.

He wanted the officials and staff of agencies involved to constantly monitor the implementation of projects under their jurisdiction.

Meanwhile he told a media conference later that he had met with Sarawak Chief Miinister Tan Sri Adenan Satem and assured him that delayed projects would be completed by the end of this month.

A taskforce was established and chaired by the ministry's secretary-general for the monitoring of these projects to ensure they were ready by then, he said.

He said most of the 'sick projects' involved rural electricity supply, roads and water supply due to problems in getting sites for these projects.

Ismail Sabri said 26 per cent of the development allocation, totalling RM5.4 billion for this year, was for Sarawak as many facilities for the rural people had yet to be implemented and not because the state election was going to be held soon.

On Mara sponsored scholarships, he said the scholarships for students attending courses abroad were still being continued.

However, starting this year, new students would be required to pursue their studies in local universities and colleges and would only be sent to those abroad such as in Germany, France and Spain under twinning programmes with Mara during their third and fourth year, he added.