MELAKA - Caretaker Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh must explain the latest status of 55 state development projects that have yet to begin before seeking a fresh mandate from the people in the upcoming Melaka state polls.
Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy secretary-general G Sivamalar said that after nearly 17 months, the public had the right to know the actual progress of the projects, including how many had been completed, remained delayed or had yet to commence.
She said Ab Rauf should publicly present the implementation records of the projects so that the people could assess the state administration's performance based on actual results rather than development announcements alone.
"On June 10, 2025, the Chief Minister announced that, of the 241 state development projects, 86 had been completed, 100 were being implemented, while 55 had yet to begin.
"This means that nearly one in four state development projects had not commenced when the announcement was made," she said in a statement on Monday.
She said more concerning was that, as of May 31, 2025, only RM19.52 million, or 22.18 per cent, of the state's total development allocation of RM88 million had been spent.
"These figures reflect the situation in 2025. However, after nearly 17 months, the public deserves an updated picture of the actual progress of these projects.
"Have all 55 projects now commenced? How many have been completed? How many remain delayed?" she asked.
Sivamalar said behind these figures were potentially projects involving public facilities, infrastructure and development that residents urgently needed and which were supposed to benefit the people of Melaka.
She said every delayed project could affect communities waiting for the facilities and development, as the public wanted more than figures in reports - they wanted tangible results they could benefit from.
She said her party understood that development projects could face various constraints, including procurement processes, technical approvals, land issues, contractor problems and delays in the disbursement of allocations.
However, she said administrative constraints could not be used as a prolonged excuse without clear explanations and remedial action.
"As Chief Minister, Ab Rauf is responsible for ensuring effective coordination among agencies and proactively addressing every obstacle to project implementation," she said.
Sivamalar urged the Melaka state government to publish the full list of the 55 projects, including their locations, allocated funds, implementing agencies, original schedules, latest implementation status and target completion dates for outstanding projects.
She also said the state government should clarify the actual status of approved allocations, funds already disbursed and total expenditure so that the public could assess implementation performance fairly and based on facts.
"If these projects have been completed, show the results to the people. If they remain delayed, explain the reasons and present a plan to resolve the issues.
"This is not merely about finding fault. It is about accountability in managing public funds and ensuring that every development allocation translates into tangible results," she said.