KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Shahelmey Yahya disclosed that the government had identified 710km of roads in poor condition across Sabah as of 2023.

Of this total, 126km were categorised as being in critical disrepair, said Shahelmey, who is also Works Minister, at the State Legislative Assembly session yesterday.

He made these remarks while concluding debates for the ministry during the motion of thanks to the policy speech by Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin.

Shahelmey emphasised that it would require an estimated RM1.8 billion to address these issues but highlighted the government's deficit situation.

"Despite having contributions and grants totaling almost RM1 billion, we still face a deficit in resolving or carrying out repair works and maintenance," he said.

He elaborated that the federal government allocated RM625 million in grants, while the state government's contribution stood at approximately RM350 million.

Outlining the steps taken by the ministry, particularly through the Public Works department, including closely monitoring approved work packages to ensure progress, adherence to specifications, and timely solutions, he also emphasised swift action in addressing any issues that might arise with contractors' work packages.

Shahelmey stressed the importance of collaboration among contractors, consultants, and stakeholders to promptly resolve any delays or problems.

Addressing concerns regarding water supply, he assured that the ministry was actively working on short-term, long-term, and emergency solutions to ensure the people's basic necessity was met.

"The ministry is committed to overcoming these challenges and will take necessary actions to address them effectively," he said.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/04/1042297/govt-identifies-710km-road-bad-condition-sabah