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MP slams delays, mismanagement in Sabah government projects

Published on: Friday, July 25, 2025 Published on: Fri, Jul 25, 2025 By: Winnie Kasmir Text Size: Vivian further drew attention to the fact that Sabah recorded the highest number of problematic or sick projects in the country, with more than 400 such cases. Kuala Lumpur: Issues of misappropriation in government projects in Sabah must be taken seriously, said Sandakan Member of Parliament, Vivian Wong Shir Yee. She made this statement while participating in the debate on the 2025 Auditor General's Report during the Second Meeting of the 4th Session of the 15th Parliament on Wednesday. In her speech, Vivian welcomed the tabling of the report, describing it as an important check-and-balance mechanism to ensure compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) by government departments and agencies. However, she emphasized that the public wants to see follow-up actions taken against non-compliance and misconduct identified in the report. 'I am very concerned with the findings reported, especially regarding misappropriation in the tender process within the Ministry of Works and the Sabah Public Works Department (JKR),' she said. She also questioned whether these issues were among the main causes for the delays in the Pan Borneo Highway Sabah Project, which has faced prolonged postponements and work stoppages in several packages. Vivian further drew attention to the fact that Sabah recorded the highest number of problematic or sick projects in the country, with more than 400 such cases. She said these delays and failures were likely due to weaknesses in procurement processes and the appointment of inefficient contractors. Using her own constituency as an example, she revealed that Package 4 of the Libaran Bypass Highway Project experienced two collapses, even though it is still incomplete and remains unusable after more than 10 years of construction. Additionally, the bridge replacement project at Jalan Tamparuli-Sandakan was delayed by more than a year when the contractor disappeared, forcing the government to terminate the contract and call for a new official tender. 'Is this the standard procedure of the Ministry of Works and JKR? Where are their KPIs?' she asked, stressing that such weaknesses tarnish the reputation of the MADANI Government. Accordingly, she supported the Auditor General's Department's recommendation to establish a performance database for companies involved in government tenders. Vivian also proposed that companies and directors who fail to complete projects be blacklisted and subjected to legal action, especially those who deceive by using different names to enter new tenders. 'Strict and punitive action must be taken against anyone found guilty. If there are elements of criminal breach of trust or abuse of power, it must be investigated as a crime,' she stressed. She added that only through firmness and courage could justice be upheld to protect the thousands of honest and dedicated civil servants. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia