KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 6 — The Education Ministry recorded the highest number of critically delayed projects under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), with a total of 46, according to the 2025 Auditor-General’s Report Series 3 tabled in the Dewan Rakyat today.

According to Free Malaysia Today (FMT), the report stated that as of December 31, 2024, there were 157 delayed projects across 18 ministries.

The Rural and Regional Development Ministry had the second-highest number of critically delayed projects at 34, followed by the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry with 12, and the Housing and Local Government Ministry with 11.

The report also noted that four of the delayed projects showed physical progress falling more than 20 per cent behind schedule, with between two and 10 extensions of time granted — some lasting as long as 785 days.

Citing information from the Implementation Coordination Unit under the Prime Minister’s Department, the report said that as of June 30, 2025, 4,528 projects, or 48.4 per cent of 8,355 under the 12MP Rolling Plan 5, were at the implementation stage.

Another 3,136 projects (33.5 per cent) were still in pre-implementation, 1,526 (16.3 per cent) had reached post-implementation, while 165 (1.8 per cent) were either on hold or cancelled.

By comparison, at the end of 2024, there were 3,829 projects (43.7 per cent) in the implementation phase, 2,400 (27.4 per cent) in pre-implementation, 2,355 (26.9 per cent) post-implementation, and 171 (2 per cent) either cancelled or under review.

Between 2021 and 2024, development expenditure amounted to RM315.93 billion — exceeding the approved RM307.91 billion and representing 76.1 per cent of the RM415 billion ceiling set under the 12MP Mid-Term Review, the report added.