PAPAR: Sabah will soon have 114 technical officers to help execute federal development projects in the state.
Of the number, three technical officers will be assigned to each district.
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Sabah, Sarawak, and Special Duties) Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali said the move would allow technical departments, comprising the Public Works Department (PWD) and Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID), to carry out development projects below the cost of RM50 million.
Previously, such projects were carried out by federal agencies.
"The federal government is actively ensuring that we can stimulate our economy and focus on the swift implementation of development projects.
"This move can invigorate the national economy not only at the federal level but also at the grassroots, including district level.
"Thus, we are grateful that the prime minister has approved requests by Sabah and Sarawak in granting the devolution of authority to technical departments under Directive 182," he told the media after inaugurating the "Bicara Merdeka" programme at Sekolah Menengah Agama Negeri Toh Puan Hajah Rahmah yesterday.
Armizan, who is Papar member of parliament, hoped that the additional capacity of technical officers would assist district offices in promptly executing small-scale development projects.
"The government is also empowering district offices and local authorities, whereby federal projects previously done through the Implementation Coordination Unit, Rural and Regional Development Ministry as well as other ministry-level economic initiatives can now be directly executed by district offices."
Last week, the Sabah Works Ministry told the state assembly that 74 federal projects worth RM1.55 billion would be implemented.