IF THE GOVERNMENT FAILED TO TAKE ACTION THE PEOPLE WOULD NO LONGER VOTE FOR THE BN - RUBIN

Probe on how allocations spent

Keningau: The Government will investigate how the billions of ringgit in allocations that have been channelled to every district for the purpose of development, had been spent.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hj Musa Aman said it was interesting to note that allocations for certain areas sometimes did not match the sum stated during the briefings by heads of local administrations.

"The Government will take necessary action to identify where the billions went to," said Musa.

He was speaking at a briefing by five District Officers - Keningau, Tenom, Nabawan, Tambunan and Ranau - on the development strategies adopted for each district in conjunction with the 10th Malaysian Plan (RMK 10), at the Perkasa Hotel, here.

The aim of such briefing to be held in every district is to have a detailed summary of recent and present development plannings, challenges, solutions as well as achievements.

It was attended by State Tourism, Culture and Environment, Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun, Local Government and Housing Minister, Datuk Hajiji Mohd Noor, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Tan Sri Joseph Kurup and other cabinet Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and Department Heads.

Keningau District Officer, Amat Hj Yusuf, said the local administration will focus its development planning for the RMK10, the Sabah Development Corridor and the NKRA on setting its bearing for the near future.

He said the bearing is centred on empowering the district with basic infrastructures such as road, water and electricity, while simultaneously maximising on the agriculture, breeding, manufacturing, and education sector, as well as city transformation.

He said two of the road projects currently taking place are the upgrading of the Liawan-Hospital road (6 km) which cost RM32.7 million and the Mosque-Kauraan road (2 km) costing RM22.3 million.

The completed road projects involved RM10.8 million which was spent on the upgrading of four main routes of 7.9 km, while four other upgrading projects worth RM23.4 million had been approved for 2010, he said.

He said among the challenges faced in the upgrading roads in the district includes the fact that some roads were located inside Forest Reserve areas that belong to private companies.

In terms of clean water supplies, Amat said the local administration had allocated RM32 million to increase supply from 5 million litres to 8 million litres, and so far his side has succeed to tackle the TransPagalan water problem as well as the 20-year-old water issue in Taman Bersatu.

On electricity, he said, the administration has identifled several issues, namely the lack of supplies to villages like Mansiat, Sinua, Sinaron and several others, inactive posts and cables in eight main areas, and dysfunctional lampposts in many villages.

On the economic side, he said focus will be given to increase the purchasing power of the people of Keningau by setting up several important committees such as the District Economic Development Committee.

He said the agriculture sector will also be highlighted by means of empowering government agencies such as KPD, LIGS and Felcra, while encouraging the growth of oil palm, rubber, padi and fruits plantation.

Amat said, the administration will continue its support for the breeding of cattle, goats and deer. One of the steps suggested was to encourage the breeding integration with oil palm farming.

In terms of education, he said Keningau will become an education hub of the interior with the building of a UiTM campus on 1,000 acres in Sook, as well as the UMS campus in Apin-Apin soon.

He said other areas that the Keningau administration is looking to improve along with the other sectors are the small and medium industries, social development, tourism, and the eradication of poverty.

Meanwhile, Musa assured that the problems, especially roads in the interior, would be looked into.

Responding to questions from Pensiangan MP Kurup and Kemabong Assemblyman Rubin, he said roads that are being used by the people must be well maintained.

Kurup had asked Musa about the poor condition of roads that are located inside forest reserves but used by many kampung folks.

Similarly, Rubin had asked about the road from Kuala Tomani to Ulu Tomani that affected five primary schools and 13 villages where about 6,000 people are residing.

According to Rubin, the road had never been asphalted for more than 20 years and the very road also being used to go to Long Pasia.

He told Musa that if the Government failed to take action he feared that the people there would no longer vote for the BN.

"I can give the fund to repair all the roads in Sabah especially those in the rural areas but I need to know if the allocation is being used properly," he said.

Nonetheless, he assured that he would look into the matter.

Later, Musa together with entourage attended the breaking of fast for Umno Zone (Nabawan, Tenom, Tambunan and Ranau).