Wan Ahmad (left) and Abang Johari in discussion during the courtesy visit. – Penerangan photo
KUCHING (March 22): The Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) in the Prime Minister’s Department will strive to ensure development projects implemented in Sarawak do not fall behind schedule or become sick projects, said its director general Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Dahlan Abdul Aziz.
“The ICU is tasked to monitor development projects implemented by all ministries in the state especially projects below the value of RM50 million,” he told reporters after paying a courtesy call on Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg at Wisma Bapa Malaysia yesterday.
It had been announced on Jan 4 that all government projects in east Malaysia below RM50 million will now be decided by the state governments of Sabah and Sarawak themselves and need not go through the federal government.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim who made the announcement said it was the first step to show that the federal government was serious in committing to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63).
Wan Ahmad also said another task for the ICU was dealing with the issues of building border control posts in Sarawak to keep pace with Kalimantan, Indonesia where the nation’s new capital Nusantara is being built.
He added the ICU will also assist the government in its efforts to eradicate poverty.
Meanwhile, the courtesy call was made in conjunction with Wan Ahmad’s first visit to Sarawak as ICU director general since he was appointed to the post on Feb 20.
He took over from Datuk Ruji Ubi, who is now secretary general of the Home Ministry.
The meeting with the Premier was to discuss the role and functions of the ICU and establish closer cooperation between the federal and state governments.
Also present at the meeting were Deputy State Secretary (Economic Planning and Development) Datu Dr Muhammad Abdullah Zaidel, ICU deputy director general (monitoring and development) Raja Muhammad Azhan Shah Raja Muhammad and Sarawak Development Office director Jasni Jubli.