JELI, June 19 — The government has ordered the Economic Planning Unit (EPU), Prime Minister’s Department (EPU) and Ministry of Finance to give priority to allocating funds for asset maintenance for all the ministries in preparing Budget 2023.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Economy), Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the EPU had in April, had tabled the Cabinet papers on the need to provide a bigger allocation for the maintenance of assets including equipment, buildings and roads.
“The maintenance allocations for the ministries with a history of low expenditure should be redistributed for the asset maintenance expenditure of those ministries which need more funds.
“The maintenance culture should be prioritised to ensure that the government’s assets and facilities are always in good condition.”
Mustapa said this to reporters after a working visit to the federal route, FT004 at the Gerik-Jeli border, here, today with the Kelantan Public Works Department (JKR) director, Mohd Suhaili Ismail also present.
The minister said the government would also proactively take measures with regard to the allocation for the maintenance of assets.
Regarding frequent users’ complaints on damaged stretches of the East-West Highway, he said the Kelantan JKR had submitted a detailed report on the highway’s maintenance issue, especially due to the lack of allocation.
“For the Kelantan stretch of the highway, RM16.6 million had been spent in 2021 on maintenance work and RM10.9 million for the same purpose at 11 locations of the highway this year.
“Overall, maintenance work on the highway has been carried out in stages but a bigger allocation is needed, especially the Perak stretch of the highway and at the border in Kelantan” he added. — Bernama
