THE Works Ministry hopes Putrajaya will provide it more funding in the 2020 Budget, so that planned infrastructure projects, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, can be developed and maintained.

Works Minister Baru Bian said both states were a priority, in particular for road maintenance projects.

“We agree that the focus is on Sabah and Sarawak, something which was also brought up at a recent cabinet meeting.

“Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has also given special attention to Sabah and Sarawak… and as Sarawakians, we know how infrastructure works in the state,” he told reporters after a working visit to centralised labour quarters (CLQ) in Sungai Buloh today.

Baru said he had held meetings with the Finance Ministry to discuss the issue.

Therefore, with more funding, previously postponed ministry-supervised projects could be completed.

Deputy Works Minister Mohd Anuar Mohd Tahir had earlier said that some infrastructure projects in Sabah and Sarawak could not be implemented because of budget constraints.

Anuar said, among the ministry’s projects, in focus was the Pan Borneo Highway, which involved both states.

In the 2019 Budget, the ministry received RM6.12 billion compared to RM3.76 billion the previous year.

Meanwhile, Baru said the CLQ were owned by Construction Labour Exchange Centre Bhd (CLAB), which was created to protect the welfare and safety of construction workers.

He said CLAB would monitor the implementation of its CLQs, including overseeing all operating costs and maintenance.

“Since the official opening early this year to July 5, 151 construction workers from surrounding areas have been housed in the CLQ here.

“In the quarters, each worker has to pay RM170, which includes utilities,” he added. – Bernama, September 24, 2019.