Not sidelined: Sabah, Sarawak rural road allocation nearly triples to RM11b for 2023–2027, says Tengku Zafrul

Sabah and Sarawak have consistently been prioritized in rural road development, with allocations almost tripling from RM3.7 billion between 2018 and 2022 to RM11 billion for 2023-2027, according to Tengku Zafrul. This significant increase reflects the government's commitment to improving infrastructure in these two states, which collectively receive about half of the country's total rural road expenditure each year.

This year, the actual expenditure on rural road development in Sabah and Sarawak reached RM1.41 billion, the highest in a decade. Tengku Zafrul, now the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) chairman and a senior political adviser to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, explained that several rural road projects have been deferred due to mounting contractual commitments that exceed approved parliamentary allocations.

The Finance Ministry had to find ways to cover the shortfall, including an additional RM500 million allocation for 2026 using savings from other ministries' development allocations. Despite the deferment of new contracts, existing projects remain unaffected, and the MoF has not issued any directive to cancel them. The government recognizes the residents' needs in Sabah and Sarawak, who have been waiting for better road access, and Budget 2027 continues to provide RM2.27 billion for rural road development in these states, the highest allocation among all states.