By WU VUIDE
PENAMPANG: Deputy Chief Minister III Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said further clarification on the status of 13 rural road (JALB) projects in Sabah whose Letters of Acceptance (LOAs) have been suspended was important to determine whether the projects would proceed or otherwise.
Ewon, who is also Industrial Development, Entrepreneurship and Transport Minister, said further explanation was still needed although the matter had been raised by the Second Finance Minister during the winding-up of the 2027 Budget debate and earlier by the Rural and Regional Development Minister.
“Regardless of the explanation given, I think MPs and the people of Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia also need further clarification.
“As the Penampang MP, I want an explanation on the status of the 13 projects whose LOAs have been suspended. What is the current status of these roads?
“I have asked whether they have been cancelled or deferred to the following year for implementation, but no clarification has been given so far,” he said.
He was speaking to reporters after inspecting the Jalan Terian and Jalan Buayan upgrading projects here yesterday.
Ewon said the projects should proceed as they had been planned and proposed for a long time by various parties, including the State Economic Planning Unit, Public Works Department (JKR) and elected representatives.
“In my view, we want these projects to proceed, whether next year or the following year, as they have been in the planning for a long time. The State Economic Planning Unit, JKR and elected representatives have submitted them many times through various platforms.
“We cannot sideline the people’s right to proper rural road facilities,” he said.
He therefore welcomed a briefing by the relevant ministry for MPs to clarify the status of projects affected by the suspension of LOAs.
He said the matter did not involve Sabah alone but also affected projects in Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia.
Ewon said if the approved projects could not be implemented this year due to funding constraints, priority should be given to implementing them next year.
“We want these agreed and approved projects to proceed. If they cannot be implemented this year due to funding constraints, there should be room to give them priority for implementation next year.
“This is my position and view as the Penampang MP, and I am also speaking on behalf of my constituency (Kadamaian), as one rural road project there has been affected by the suspension of its LOA,” he said.
Ewon, accompanied by Donald and representatives from JKR, UPEN, KKDW and MPP inspecting the progress of the road upgrading projects for Buayan and Terian road in Penampang.
