Not every infrastructure problem is Putrajaya’s responsibility, says academic

Malaysian academic Ramli Dollah warns against assuming every infrastructure issue is the federal government's responsibility alone. The division of roles, implementation, and funding between federal and state governments is outlined in the Federal Constitution. While certain sectors like defence and education fall under federal control, states handle land, agriculture, forestry, and local governance.

Problems should not be automatically linked to either level of government based solely on their location. Federal grants are expected to rise to RM10.5 billion this year, covering state road maintenance, tourism tax revenue, and other concurrent list matters. Roads are split between federal and state jurisdictions, with federal funds also supporting state road maintenance through grants like Marris.

Water supply responsibilities are divided similarly, with state jurisdiction over water resources and federal control over water services in specific regions. As for health and education, these are primarily federal domains, despite physical locations within states. In states like Sabah and Sarawak, additional powers grant them greater autonomy, but federal funding still significantly contributes to development projects, despite lower spending rates compared to allocations.