PADANG TERAP: There is a need to improve the coordination among political parties under the unity government in ensuring a smooth execution of federal government projects in Perikatan Nasional-held states such as Kedah.

Former menteri besar Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid acknowledged that there was a missing link between the federal agencies and the administrative machinery at grassroots level.

"All federal government projects to the state are channeled through the ICU (Implementation Coordination Unit under the Prime Minister's Department).

"From there, the allocations are channeled to the JPKK (Village Development and Security Committees).

"However, there is a vacuum at the intermediate level. We don't have a proper party to properly coordinate between the ICU and the JPKK, except for just one minister," he told reporters after officiating the Padang Terap Umno division delegates' annual general meeting here today.

Mahdzir, who is also Umno Supreme Council member, said the idea of creating an intermediate party was not meant to cause disturbance on federal projects in Kedah.

"What we need now is proper coordination. For example, we need an entity to properly coordinate all federal projects at district level.

"We, as political parties, do not have a locus standi to require information on the progress of federal projects in the state, that is why we need a proper intermediary between the ICU and the JPKK," he said.

Mahdzir, who is also Kedah Umno liaison committee chairman, was commenting on the Alor Star Umno division delegates' move to unanimously pass a resolution calling for him to be appointed as the Kedah State Development Action Council (SDC) deputy chairman.

The division's deputy chief, Syed Abdul Hafiz Syed Mustapa, said Mahdzir was the right candidate to be appointed for the post, assisting Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

Saifuddin jointly chairs the council with Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Noor, in his capacity as a cabinet minister representing Pakatan Harapan.

Commenting further, Mahdzir said he believed that there was a justification for the resolution passed by the Alor Star Umno division delegates.

"I think that is the voice of Umno members in the state, with regard on how to better collaborate and coordinate the cooperation for federal projects in Kedah," he said.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/1079193/mahdzir-coordination-federal-projects-implementation-kedah-needs-be