Kota Kinabalu: The State Rural Development Ministry is implementing new types of rural roads and alternative ways to improve water supply in rural areas.
Its minister, Datuk Rubin Balang, said that, aside from R2 and R3 category roads maintained by the Public Works Department, many existing rural roads are classified as non-qualified and fall outside the department’s maintenance scope.
“Therefore, these roads are more appropriately placed under the responsibility of the Rural Development Ministry,” he said.
He said the ministry is proposing to manage these roads under three new categories — economic community roads, community linkage roads, and village roads — to ensure better connectivity for rural populations, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.
At the same time, the ministry is exploring alternative approaches to rural water supply, including the use of solar-powered pumps, gravity-fed systems, and underground water sources.
These methods are aimed at delivering clean water more quickly to villages that are not connected to treated water systems.
Rubin said both proposals will be brought for further engagement with the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development Malaysia in the near future.
He added that the initiatives form part of a broader effort under the Sabah Maju Jaya 2.0 roadmap to strengthen rural infrastructure and ensure more inclusive development across the state.
On basic utilities, Rubin said the ministry remains committed to expanding access to both clean water and electricity in rural areas, stressing that proposals from various districts will be reviewed and prioritised based on urgency and need.
Touching on housing, he said the Rumah Mesra Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) programme continues to be implemented across districts, with strict criteria to ensure assistance reaches those most in need, including disaster victims, persons with disabilities, and low-income families registered under the eKasih system.
In Karambunai, a total of 75 SMJ houses have been completed between 2022 and 2025, while 25 units are still under construction.
Of these, 12 units were identified as abandoned and are currently in the process of being reassigned to new contractors.
Rubin said the ministry will tighten monitoring and oversight to prevent similar issues, including ensuring that only competent contractors are appointed.
Meanwhile, a proposed new district office in Kota Belud, with an allocation of RM13 million, is currently at the design stage and is expected to begin construction in January 2027, with completion targeted for June 2029.
He added that several proposed road upgrades in the Tungku area, including stretches linking Kampung Dengan to Kampung Tambisan, are still pending approval from the federal Ministry of Economy.
Rubin said all efforts are aimed at improving living conditions in rural Sabah, particularly by enhancing accessibility, strengthening infrastructure, and ensuring that development reaches even the most remote communities.
