KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 10 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today admitted the border development on the Malaysian side in Sabah and Sarawak has been relatively slow compared to Indonesia, following the relocation of the republic’s capital from Jakarta to Nusantara in East Kalimantan.
He said this is partly due to the RM1 billion allocation, which was only recently approved this year.
However, all relevant ministries have been asked to expedite matters, Anwar said during Minister’s Question Time at the Dewan Rakyat today.
He has also asked Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof to monitor and coordinate all development projects for Sabah and Sarawak, including implementing the Pan Borneo Highway and other projects related to the RM1 billion allocation.
Earlier, when replying to Keningau MP Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan, the Prime Minister said the government had approved a RM1 billion allocation for the development of border areas in Sabah and Sarawak to accelerate the development of basic infrastructure and security.
This includes constructing the Immigration, Customs, and Quarantine Complex (ICQS), security posts, and other facilities to ensure that border development in Malaysia is on par with that of neighbouring countries.
This year, the government has also approved 17 border projects, with eight in Sabah costing RM82.2 million and nine in Sarawak costing RM88.2 million, all of which are set to commence soon.
— Bernama
