Five high-impact projects in Kelantan still on the table, says deputy minister of absence from Budget 2020

KOTA BARU, Oct 20 — The implementations of five high impact projects in Kelantan will be decided by the Minister of Economic Affairs Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, said his deputy Senator Mohd Radzi Md Jidin.

He said it did not mean the projects would not be implemented although they were not mentioned in Budget 2020.

“The minister will not mention all matters strategically when tabling the Budget. We must be clear on the concept of tabling a Budget. By saying they (the projects) were not mentioned (in the tabling of the Budget) to indicate there is nothing for Kelantan is not an accurate perspective

“We must understand that the projects need details… When and which project is prioritised or to be implemented later based on the allocation the government has,” he told reporters after the opening of Package 2A Kadok to Ketereh of the Kota Baru-Kuala Krai Expressway Project here today which was launched by Minister of Works Baru Bian.

He said this when commenting on a statement by Kelantan Deputy Mentri Besar Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah who expressed the disappointment of the Kelantan government following the absence of special allocations in Budget 2020 for the five major projects which was announced by Minister of Economic Affairs Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali in March.

Mohd Amar, prior to this, was reported as saying that the five major projects might be adversely affected as there were no special allocations to implement them.

Last March, Mohamed Azmin was reported as saying that Kelantan was set to enjoy an overflow of development when five main projects which would be prioritised by the federal government for completion as soon as possible.

He was quoted as saying that the five projects were the construction of Phase 3 of the East Coast Highway (LPT3), expansion and upgrading of the Sultan Ismail Petra Airport, new Pasir Puteh-Machang-Jeli route, Kota Baru-Kuala Krai Expressway and the Palekbang-Kota Baru Bridge.

In the meantime, Mohd Radzi said all the projects were indeed priority to Kelantan as stated by Muhamed Azmin prior to this and they would be detailed soon. — Bernama