KENINGAU: Liawan state assemblyman Datuk Haji Sairin Karno has denied promising development projects in his area.
“I have never promised the people in relation to development projects in my area,” he told The Borneo Post when handing over aid at the Umno office here.
Sairin, who is also Assistant Rural Development Minister, said all government project approvals in the state, including Liawan, were dependent on availability of funds.
“I usually do not promise the people in my area but will try my best to submit applications to the appropriate ministries and departments concerned if the project costs above RM50,000,” he said when commenting on a complaint posted in a blog and Facebook by certain parties.
He said there had been many projects under RM50,000 implemented through the provision of his assemblyman’s allocation but possibly the application which had been approved had not yet been implement, so they have to be patient because his allocation as an assemblyman was limited.
Sairin said the limited yearly allocation was not enough to serve more than 50 villages in his area.
“However, I assure you that projects listed but have not been implemented under my allocation would be implemented, if not this year, then by next year. It all depends on financial allocation,” he said.
On a serious note on gravel roads that had not been paved in the area, he said that 63 roads, including roads to his village that was still gravel, were under the authority of the Public Works Department (PWD).
He added that although the roads had been approved to be paved, they all depended on the budget.
In this regard, he urged the people in his constituency to understand the real situation and not blame blindly.
Meanwhile, Sairin also requested the Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) chairmen to submit applications on village development projects applied and approved by him to the office of the Liawan People Development Leader Unit (UPKR) for further action.
The function was attended by Wanita Umno division chief Amelia Ajun, Keningau Umno vice chief Sahanip Jamil, Keningau Youth vice chief Rakmadin Mohd Yassin, Keningau MCA chief Jack Chin, MCA Youth chief Leonard Teo, Liawan PBS vice chief Lee Tet Soon and Kapitan Liew Ket Lim.
Sairin, who is also Keningau Umno chief, distributed raya money to 77 poor people, single mothers and senior citizens.