JOHOR BARU: About 75% of delays in Works Ministry projects are caused by contractors themselves, according to its deputy minister.
Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Maslan said poor project management and weak financial planning are two main reasons for contractor-related delays.
“Only about 5% of our overall projects are categorised as ‘sick’, but even that is something we do not want,” he said after presenting letters of acceptance (SST) for two federal projects in Johor here on Thursday.
Ahmad, who is also Pontian MP, said many contractors mishandle their finances, including misclassifying the first advance payment as profit.
“Profit comes only after a project is completed, not when the first payment is received,” he noted.
On project management failures, he said issues often stem from improper planning of building materials, labour shortages and poor monitoring of progress timelines.
He said the reminder by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to the ministry on delayed projects is very clear.
“He stressed two things – projects must not be delayed, and contractors must fulfil their responsibilities,” he added.
On the SST, Ahmad said they enabled upgrading works to be carried out along the Pasir Gudang Highway and for a new road in Kota Tinggi.
The first project is the RM174.53mil upgrading of the Pasir Gudang Highway (FT17) from the Perling interchange to the North-South Expressway exit to Pasir Gudang.
“The project, which began last week, involves upgrading 7km of existing road from four lanes to six lanes along an important industrial corridor linking Tebrau, Taman Kobena and the Pasir Gudang Port,” he said, adding that the project is scheduled for completion in December 2028.
“The second project is the construction of a new 3.1km road and a 320m bridge from Kampung Gembut to Kampung Teluk Baharu in Sedili Besar, Kota Tinggi,” he said, adding that the RM62.11mil project is also due for completion at the end of 2028.
Ahmad said that as of Dec 1, a total of 54 road projects nationwide have received SST worth RM2.96bil.
He added of these, 18 projects were under the Works Ministry amounting to RM1.77bil, while 36 projects under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry accounted for RM1.19bil.
Ahmad said the achievements reflect the government’s commitment to delivering rakyat-centric infrastructure in a planned and systematic manner, while supporting the growth of the national construction sector.
He said the SST handover in Johor demonstrated the continuous efforts of both ministries to strengthen public infrastructure, enhance mobility and improve inclusivity between urban and rural communities.
