Approvals scrapped for local council projects

PETALING JAYA: The Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry (KPKT) has scrapped approvals for local council projects in non-Barisan Nasional (BN) parliamentary constituencies.
This is according to a leaked letter that was issued and signed by the Local Government Department director-general Abu Bakar Johar dated March 17.
According to the letter, the directive applied to all BP.1 projects, categorised as small scale people-centric projects in the respective local councils, including the building and repairing of roads, drains, public toilets, multi-purpose halls, and business premises.
Abu Bakar, in the letter, said the directive was given by the minister Tan Sri Noh Omar during a BP.1 project allocation coordination meeting on March 6 and later in a meeting session with local council mayors on March 9.
"The minister had directed that the Local Government Department prepare a list of all BP.1 projects in 2017 that have been approved for the local councils, to be handed over to BN MPs during a meeting between them and the minister on March 7.
"He also directed for all approved BP.1 local council projects in 2017 in non-BN constituencies to be cancelled," he said.
Abu Bakar also said in the letter that a list of BP.1 projects in the non-BN constituencies that have been scrapped was attached together.
"The warrants for budget allocation that were issued for the implementation of the projects are hereby rescinded," he added.
Attempts to get Noh were futile as at press time.