Kota kinabalu: The Federal Government will focus on three development projects in Sabah, including the Southern Link Phase 1A Transmission Line in the East Coast area, as part of its ongoing commitment to address the state's electricity supply issues. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof announced these initiatives, emphasizing the strategic importance of the projects for regional development.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the other two priority projects include the construction of the Sabah Heart Centre at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Kota Kinabalu and the development of a new road from Kalabakan to Simanggaris, linking Malaysia and Indonesia at the Kalabakan border. Fadillah, who also serves as the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, stated that these projects would be overseen by his ministry, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Works.
In alignment with the Budget 2026 announcement, a total of 1,143 programs or projects have been allocated RM6.89 billion, with 188 being new initiatives. These three key projects are among those prioritized for the next year. Fadillah shared these details following a Special Coordination Meeting on Monitoring Sabah Development Programmes/Projects 2025 at the Sabah Federal Secretary's Office.
The meeting focused on evaluating the Sabah Delayed (Sick) Project Status Report, reviewing the Rolling Plan 5 of the 12th Malaysia Plan (RP5 12MP) 2025 Development Project Performance, and discussing the Implementation Mechanism for 13MP Rolling Plan 1 Projects for 2026. Fadillah highlighted the collaborative efforts of the Federal and Sabah Governments in ensuring the effective execution of development projects by addressing potential obstacles.
The performance of Development Expenditure under RP5 12MP as of November 3, 2025, was reported at 71.97 percent or RM61.89 billion at the national level, against the original allocation of RM86 billion for 9,516 projects. In Sabah, the development expenditure performance stood at 70.13 percent or RM4.17 billion, compared to an initial allocation of RM5.94 billion for 1,294 projects, the highest among all states.
The meeting also served as a platform for both governments to discuss and resolve outstanding issues to facilitate the smooth implementation of Federal development projects in Sabah. Fadillah noted that project delays were primarily due to contractor weaknesses, material supply issues, and weather conditions. However, nine delayed projects are expected to reach completion by the first quarter of 2026.
On the performance of PETRA's projects in Sabah, the current development expenditure under RP5 12MP was RM674.3 million, reflecting 94.5 percent of the RM713.1 million allocated for 2025. These funds covered 88 projects, including flood mitigation, coastal erosion prevention, river conservation, water supply, sewerage services, and electricity supply enhancement.
Following the Budget 2026 announcement, 88 projects - 74 ongoing and 14 new - are slated for implementation under the ministry next year. New PETRA projects include the Sungai Moyog Integrated River Basin Development Project, which involves constructing bunds, river upgrades, and related works with a budget of RM252 million. Other significant projects include the installation of main transmission and distribution pipes in Tawau and the upgrading of the Inanam oxidation pond into a regional sewage treatment plant, with costs of RM236.6 million and RM536 million, respectively.