Kuala Lumpur:Sabah and Sarawak are set to see a significant increase in rural road development allocations, with the amount nearly tripling between 2023 and 2027 compared to the previous five years, as stated by Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Tengku Zafrul, who is the former Finance Minister and current Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) chairman, highlighted that rural road expenditure totaled RM3.7 billion between 2018 and 2022. This figure is set to rise to RM11 billion for the 2023-2027 period, demonstrating the government's commitment to enhancing rural infrastructure in these regions.

The increased funding reflects the government's focus on infrastructure development in Sabah and Sarawak, which receive approximately half of the country's total rural road expenditure each year. Tengku Zafrul also noted that RM1.41 billion had already been spent on rural road development in these states this year alone, marking the highest expenditure in a decade.

Tengku Zafrul addressed the deferment of several rural road projects, explaining it as a measure of national fiscal management due to rising contractual commitments that surpassed the original parliamentary allocations. He emphasized that while new contracts have been deferred to prevent payment arrears, existing projects have not been canceled.

The Finance Ministry, responsible for balancing funding across various sectors, approved an additional RM500 million for 2026 to cover outstanding payments, reallocating savings from other ministries' development budgets. This includes the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, among others.

Budget 2027 continues to emphasize development in Sabah and Sarawak, with RM2.27 billion allocated for rural roads and RM34.9 billion for overall development in these states, underscoring the government's priority to ensure the effective implementation of projects and timely payments to contractors.