SABAH GOV'T HAS A DEFICIT OF ALMOST RM1 BLN FOR ROAD REPAIRS, MAINTENANCE

KOTA KINABALU, April 24 (Bernama) -- The Sabah government has a deficit of almost RM1 billion to carry out road repairs and maintenance works in the state, the state assembly sitting was told today.

Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, also the state Works Minister, said that last year the Federal government provided a RM625 million grant and the state government channelled a contribution of RM350 million for road works.

 However, he said that based on the report on road works in the state last year, 710 kilometres (km) of roads in the state were in bad condition while the other 126km were in critical condition.

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"Road repairs alone are estimated to have cost RM1.8 billion. So, with the existing contribution and grant, we have a deficit in implementing road repairs and maintenance,” he said.

He said this when winding up the debate on the motion of thanks for the Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin's policy speech involving his ministry at the assembly.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister II Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam, also the state Minister of Local Government and Housing, said his ministry would introduce a method of managing accumulated solid waste with the pyrolysis method on a trial basis.

"The Sandakan Municipal Council and Papar District Council will start it soon in line with the National Policy, which focuses on the transition of solid waste management towards a circular economy," he said.

-- BERNAMA