© Nikkei Markets
KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 09) — Malaysia’s works ministry lacks funds to maintain the federal roads as budget allocations typically sharply lagged requirements, the minister said Tuesday.
The lack of funds have resulted in a 30% backlog of the maintenance work, Baru Bian said at an investor conference in Kuala Lumpur.
“Every year we get less than 50% of the budget we need,” Bian said. While the annual budget requirement is 2 billion ringgit, allocated sums have ranged between 600 million ringgit and 800 million ringgit, Bian said.
He said the funds are needed to maintain 19,950 km of federal roads and highways.
– By Gan Pei Ling
– Edited By Abhrajit Gangopadhyay