PUTRAJAYA: Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming has urged all 156 local authorities nationwide to expedite the delivery of public development projects, in line with national goals to enhance economic competitiveness and the ease of doing business.
Speaking during a high-level meeting with representatives from local councils across the country, Nga stressed the urgency of accelerating approvals and implementation timelines.
“The Madani government under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is committed to driving economic growth.
“To realise this, we must ensure a public service delivery system that is efficient, especially in project approvals and execution, to improve quality of life and foster an investor-friendly environment.”
He echoed recent remarks by the prime minister about long-standing administrative delays that have persisted since the 1980s, stating that such inefficiencies must not continue.
Nga noted Malaysia’s recent rise in the World Competitiveness Ranking, climbing 11 spots to 23rd globally as a signal that the country is on the right path.
“Malaysia is now among the fastest-growing nations. The momentum must not be squandered. All local authorities must move quickly because time is of the essence.”
To support this push, the ministry has set clear timeframes for development project approvals, depending on project scale.
The ministry explained that small-scale projects must be approved within 14 days, medium-scale within 60 days and large-scale projects, including those requiring open tenders, within 120 days.
Nga said the structure is designed to ensure a consistent and streamlined process that aligns with the urgency of national development goals.
Additionally, the Housing and Local Government Ministry is implementing a performance monitoring system based on a “traffic light” evaluation model to guide future funding decisions.
The system evaluates local authorities on procurement efficiency and compliance (30%), project execution and adherence to technical and scheduling standards (40%) and timeliness in submitting complete financial claims for fund disbursement through EFT (electronic fund transfer) systems (30%).
Under the model, local authorities rated “green” for excellent performance will see continued or increased funding. “Yellow” ratings indicate moderate performance and will trigger a review of allocations, while “red” signal weak performance and may result in reduced or revoked funding.
The meeting also addressed operational challenges raised by local councils, including concerns over training for contract-based officers.
Nga said the ministry is aware of these concerns and will initiate follow-up discussions with relevant agencies to identify potential solutions.
He added that the ministry’s goal is to create a more responsive and competent local governance structure, reforming how the country can serve the public and ensuring development reaches the people without delay.
