Speaking at the launch of the Sabah International Blue Economy Conference 2024 in Kota Kinabalu today, Anwar said he does not want the state to delay implementing projects or lose any of the sum allocated to it due to corruption.

Sabah was allocated RM6.7 billion in development expenditure in the 2025 budget which Anwar tabled yesterday. The sum is a slight increase from the RM6.6 billion the state received in this year’s budget.

“Please appreciate that the allocation for Sabah is the highest recorded. Now, your task is to implement it transparently and efficiently,” he said, Berita Harian reported.

At the Madani Rakyat programme at the Likas Sports Complex later, Anwar said the large amount set aside for development in Sabah is meant to ensure that the state’s residents can benefit from good infrastructure.

He said he wants work on all Sabahan projects included in the 2025 budget, such as the Pan Borneo Highway, to be expedited.

Anwar, who is also the finance minister, noted yesterday that the combined cost of the Pan Borneo projects in Sarawak and Sabah had reached RM25.1 billion.

He said the government had finalised four work packages for Phase 2 of the Sabah-Sarawak Link Road, valued at RM7.4 billion, with the remaining packages to be awarded before the end of the year.

He also said the government would spend a total of RM253 million to expand the Tawau airport in Sabah and Miri airport in Sarawak.