KUCHING - The federal government today dismissed an allegation by Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that 92 per cent of the 310 projects valued at RM2.3 billion approved for Sarawak had yet to take off.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas said that up to Oct 20, a total of 228 projects, or 74 per cent, valued at RM197 million had been completed, 41 projects or 13 per cent were under implementation and 41 more (13 per cent) were waiting to take off.
Anwar had alleged at a news conference at Parliament House on Thursday that 92 per cent of the projects, promised by Prime Minister Seri Najib Tun Razak and Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, had yet to be carried out.
The opposition leader's remarks were designed to confuse the people, Uggah told a news conference here.
Uggah also said that Anwar's statement that only four per cent of the projects were offered through tender is not true because 95 per cent of the projects were given out through tender.
Uggah, who is the minister assigned to monitor all the 310 projects, gave the assurance that the projects were being carried out by a coordinating committee on special projects and walkabout projects of the prime minister and deputy prime minister with the assistance of the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) of the Prime Minister's Department.
"We hold meetings regularly, and so far seven meetings have been held to identify problems prior to implementation and resolve them," he said, adding that some of the problems were related to land acquisition and delays by contractors as well as inter-department and inter-agency hiccups.
Uggah said the committee also went down to the ground, among others to visit the new site of Sri Aman Hospital and to announce the availability of the services of two medical specialists for Sri Aman as promised by the prime minister before the Sarawak state election in April.
On Aug 8, Uggah had announced that the RM200-million hospital would be built on 20.4 hectares and would be ready in 2015.
The minister said today the committee also visited Betong and Kapit to monitor various infrastructure projects and would soon visit Marudi and Belaga to monitor the implementation of two road projects being undertaken by the armed forces.
"I am very disappointed by Anwar's irresponsible statement," he said, and advised the people not to be influenced by it.
- Bernama
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