ALOR STAR: Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor says the five Water Treatment Plant (WTP) upgrading projects in Kedah are being carried out 'by the book'.
Sanusi claimed that the projects are being carried out as stipulated in the government's established working system and in accordance to the respective jurisdiction of government agencies and departments involved.
"We work based on our respective jurisdiction, we don't cross into other people's jurisdiction at our whims and fancies. We have a working system at each level in accordance to the function of each established agency and department.
"The system has undergone various improvement processes for over decades, it has been properly documented, bounded by the government circulars to guide all the government branches that function on their respective levels," he said in a video posted on his TikTok account early today.
Sanusi added that for the ongoing five WTPs projects, the Kedah State Secretary has been appointed as the projects Superintending Officer (SO) following their approval.
He said as the SO for the projects, the State Secretary has appointed the Kedah Public Works Department (PWD) as his representative.
"The Kedah PWD has subsequently formed a PWD Technical Unit known as Kedah Water Project Team in 2021 with the objective of strengthening the monitoring mechanism for the WTP projects.
"This is the legitimate body that represents the projects SO in managing issues arise in the projects.
"Any instruction or thinking regardless by the coordinating minister or deputy minister or even the Menteri Besar must go through the workflow in the working system without exemption," he said.
Sanusi added that things would get messy if any party refuses to comply to the working system by intervening into matters that beyond one's jurisdiction, while disregarding duties accorded to his level.
"I believe this syndrome has happened during the 22 months' government and being repeated again now. The reason being is that they don't have faith on trained government officers and the established working system.
"When projects are delayed, they will find scapegoats. Once the projects are completed, they will be on the frontline to claim political mileage. That's all they know. 24 hours politicking!"
"Learn how to respect other people's jurisdiction, work in accordance to the system and stand within one's own courtyard.
There is nothing wrong to carry out site visits, but the projects have their own superintendent based on the regulations," he said.
Sanusi was responding to Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail's recent statement calling the menteri besar to prioritise on Kedah development instead of dwelling on the absence of the state's Development Action Council meetings.
Saifuddin, who is also the council's co-chair was reported as saying in a sarcastic tone that he would delegate significant projects planned by the Kedah government to Sanusi while he handled minor matters under the federal government's purview.
Earlier, it was reported that Sanusi has expressed disappointment over Saifuddin's alleged reluctance to convene the state Development Action Council meeting to discuss federal government infrastructure projects in Kedah with the state government since the council was established over a year ago.
In response, Saifuddin had said he decided not to call for the council's meting due to Sanusi's failure to show decorum in meetings that he had attended at the federal level.
