Minister says need to keep tabs on 22 'sick' projects in Sabah

TAWAU (June 10): A total of 22 federal projects in Sabah classified as ‘sick’ projects require closer monitoring and improvement.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah and Sarawak Affairs) Datuk Mustapha Sakmud (pictured) said land-related issues and poor contractor performance were among the factors contributing to the delays.

“Some of these projects have been delayed due to land issues. If that is the cause, we need to find ways to expedite the process. I do not want Sabah to be branded as a state with 'sick projects', and we want to move away from that image.

“If land issues are the main obstacle, then a special task force to deal specifically with such matters should be established. It could perhaps start in Tawau, such as for the Immigration Detention Depot (DTI) upgrading project under Package 1,” he said.

He said this after attending a briefing on development projects in the Tawau district here on Tuesday.

Mustapha said that if delayed or ‘sick’ projects were caused by incompetent contractors, appropriate measures must be taken to address the issue, including replacing the contractors concerned.

“We have to be serious. We do not want Sabah to be labelled as the state with the highest number of ‘sick’ projects because of contractors. We want competent contractors, and I urge the relevant agencies to take a more critical approach to these contractor-related issues. Do not leave them unmonitored,” he said.

In addition, Mustapha said a total of 83 development projects have been recorded in Tawau, with 44 projects worth RM50 million currently at the pre-implementation stage.

Commenting on a petition calling for Filipino refugees holding IMM13 documents in Sabah to be repatriated to their home country, Mustapha said the matter should be studied by the Home Ministry and the Foreign Ministry.

He said the issue must also take into account historical, legal and international policy considerations.

The online petition has garnered more than 38,683 signatures in the five days since June 5.

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