KUCHING: The Village and Development Committees (JKKKs) will be responsible for controlling and monitoring their own Rural Transformation Projects (RTPs) costing up to RM200,000.
Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas told New Sarawak Tribune that the state government was empowering the committees by giving them greater control over the less technical Rural Transformation Project (RTP) projects in their villages/longhouses.
The technical projects would still be implemented by the Resident Office.
The committees, he explained, would be allowed to implement any project by themselves through ‘gotong-royong’ or by engaging/selecting a registered and qualified contractor of their choice.
“Once the District Office allows the ‘gotong-royong’ or a committee has chosen its desired contractor, the fund is then channelled to the District Office. The contractor will only be paid once the project is completed and the people are satisfied with it.
“These projects will be implemented by Resident Office and the casting lot system will be used to look for contractors for the projects costing between RM100,000 and RM200,000 each.
“Technical departments such as Public Works Department (JKR), Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) and the council will come up with the plans and BQ (Bill of Quantities) for the project.
“The JKKKs can lay out their projects and material specifications, construction scheduling, costing, etc, themselves.”
Uggah added that the BQ would be submitted by the technical department while the payment would be done through the District Office.
He explained that the RTP projects implemented would be those approved by the state government after being proposed by the Resident or District Offices.
Uggah said the state government had received many complaints from villagers and/longhouse residents who were unsatisfied with the unsupervised finished work of the RTP projects.
“The JKKKs are now allowed to supervise the completion of the projects,” he added.
