KUCHING: The Sarawak Government has been urged to establish a dedicated maintenance allocation for public amenities developed under the Rural Transformation Programme (RTP) to ensure these facilities remain functional and safe for community use.

Pujut Assemblyman Adam Yii Siew Sang stated that the growing number of public amenities must be supported with adequate financial allocations and manpower for local authorities (PBT) tasked with their upkeep.

According to him, maintenance costs, including grass cutting, cleaning, repairs, and equipment replacements, will continue to rise as more public infrastructure projects are completed.

“If this responsibility is handed over to local authorities without a corresponding increase in workforce and financial resources, we are essentially expanding their responsibilities without enhancing their capacity to execute them,” he said.

He said this while debating the Supply (2027) Bill, 2026 at the 19th Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting here on Wednesday.

In line with this, Adam proposed that maintenance funding be allocated based on the total number and type of facilities maintained by each local authority.

He also recommended that the government establish a clearer handover and maintenance framework for amenities built under the RTP to avoid ambiguity regarding maintenance ownership post-completion.

According to Adam, past development investments must be matched with well-structured maintenance management so that the public can continue to benefit from these amenities over the long term.

He emphasized that the success of the RTP depends not only on the number of completed projects, but also on how well these facilities are preserved in good condition for the people's use. — UKASnews

Prepared by: Nur Nabilla
Photos: Ibanez Jeffery Guang
Translator: Ryan Lim