KUALA LUMPUR (July 4): The performance of projects and programmes planned by the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) for the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) to 12MP period has exceeded 90%.

According to the Auditor General’s Report 2024, a total of 99 (90.8%) of 109 projects and programmes have been implemented, with 77 projects completed, while 22 projects and programmes are still being implemented with three in the planning stage, 11 in the design stage and eight in the construction stage.

However, the performance targets involving realised investments, job opportunities and the number of entrepreneurs as stated in the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) Master Plan (EMP 1.0) were not achieved, while the actual achievements of the ECER Master Plan 2.0 cannot be assessed yet, as the implementation period started from 2018 until 2025, the report said.

“However, ECERDC did not reach the target for investment realised (for EMP 1.0), that is (which was achieved, totalling RM53.875 billion), offering employment opportunities of 133,873 jobs and (producing) a total of 29,275 entrepreneurs compared to the actual target set of RM66 billion realised investments, 200,000 job opportunities and 60,000 entrepreneurs, respectively,” added the report.

Despite this, the ECER received a committed investment of RM111.562 billion, compared to the set target of RM110 billion under EMP 1.0.

Additionally, the audit found that no database has been established to measure the socio-economic achievements of the target group in the ECER region. Therefore, the objective achievements of the projects and programmes implemented cannot be measured, besides the ECERDC having no accurate measurement method to identify the poverty rate and income of the population in the East Coast states.

Thus, the audit recommended the Ministry of Economy, ECERDC and related parties to review the objectives, functions and roles of the ECERDC in ensuring that projects and programmes that are planned and implemented take into account the priorities, conditions and current needs, so that they can benefit the target groups, achieve effective objectives and do not affect the returns to the government.

Besides that, the AG’s Report 2024 has also proposed a measurement method and the creation of a database for socio-economic achievements of the target groups, to identify the poverty rate and income of the population in the ECER region, to ensure that the objectives of the establishment of the ECERDC are achieved.

Engagement sessions with all parties involved should also be held to formulate strategies and intensify promotional activities to attract investors in industrial plots and holding companies for agropolitan projects, it added.

The audit had focused on projects and programmes that are implemented in the ECER region based on the 9MP to 12MP period, as well as the ECER Master Plan from 2018 up to Dec 31, 2022. 

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/node/717893