Tawau: The Ministry of Rural and Regional Development (KKDW) is focusing on developing road, water, and electricity infrastructure in rural and remote areas of Sabah to ensure a more comfortable life for residents in these areas. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, emphasized the need for more infrastructure development in Sabah, which can be achieved through the strong cooperation between the MADANI Government and the state.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Ahmad Zahid highlighted the importance of developing more road connections to rural and remote areas following the completion of the Pan Borneo Highway in Sabah. He mentioned that these connections would serve as a catalyst for the state's progress and benefit local residents. The cooperation with the state government will be intensified to ensure that rural road infrastructure remains a priority, especially for the B40 community.
Addressing the water supply issue, Ahmad Zahid stated that while it is the responsibility of the state government, KKDW will play a role in channeling clean water from the main pipelines to villages and households. The ministry plans to utilize gravity-fed systems and tube wells for remote areas lacking access to main pipelines. The Rural Water Supply Project (BALB) is identified as a key initiative to address this issue, with several critical areas requiring urgent attention for clean water supply.
For electricity supply challenges in rural and remote areas, Ahmad Zahid mentioned the implementation of the Rural Electricity Supply Programme (BELB). This programme uses solar power generation and battery storage for communities without access to the state power grid. However, existing battery technology presents challenges due to limited lifespan. KKDW is addressing this by sourcing new battery technology with longer durability through an open tender process, aiming to extend battery lifespan from one to two years to five years.
Ahmad Zahid also underscored that the allocation received by Sabah through KKDW is the highest development budget in Malaysia, reflecting the MADANI Government's commitment to the state's development. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced a development allocation of RM6.7 billion for Sabah when tabling Budget 2025 on October 18 last year.
In a press conference, Ahmad Zahid stressed the need for strengthened coordination between KKDW and the Public Works Department (JKR) at both federal and state levels to ensure the smooth implementation of projects. He expressed dissatisfaction with the current coordination and called for enhanced capacity of the state JKR to accelerate the completion of projects from previous and current budgets. Ahmad Zahid emphasized the importance of all relevant agencies coming together to address any challenges encountered in project implementation.