MELAKA, May 12 — The Melaka government has set a target for state development expenditure to reach 92 per cent starting this year, up from 85 per cent over the previous three years, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.

He said the target was in line with the goal set by the Public Service Department to ensure the comfort and well-being of the people, especially in the state.

"Melaka is on the right track as its development expenditures have remained at or above 85 per cent for three consecutive years.

"Therefore, I would like to challenge the entire state development project team to increase the target from 85 per cent to 92 per cent, starting this year,” he told reporters after officiating the Best Project/ Programme Award and the Melaka State Best Outcome Evaluation Study Award 2022 here today.

Ab Rauf said that in order to achieve the target, all state government departments and agencies must adopt the outcome-based approach and use it as a yardstick for state development.

According to him, the monitoring and evaluation of the project are also crucial to ensuring that all predetermined objectives can be met.

In the meantime, he said that although Melaka is facing various challenges in the transition to endemic phase, state government departments and agencies have successfully completed a number of development projects and programmes according to plans and achieved their respective targets.

He said one of the achievements was completing the upgrading works for the drainage system in the Ayer Molek state constituency and Sungai Rambai.

"Despite the project’s small allocation of less than RM200,000, it has had a direct impact on the local community by reducing the risk of flooding.

"In addition, we were able to complete the Bemban-Gapam Junction construction project 75 days ahead of the actual completion date,” he said.

Under the project, Ab Rauf said the state government was able to save up to RM284,717.64 of its total cost. — Bernama