Not all infrastructure issues fall under federal government purview, says expert

Ramli Dollah, a lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), emphasized that the Federal Constitution's Ninth Schedule clearly delineates the powers and jurisdictional boundaries of federal, state, and local authorities. According to the constitutional framework, different levels of government bear distinct responsibilities for infrastructure development and maintenance within their respective domains. The distinction is important for public understanding of governance structures and accountability mechanisms across the country. Infrastructure problems arising within state or local authority jurisdictions typically fall under their purview rather than Putrajaya's direct responsibility, Dollah noted. His comments underscore the importance of understanding Malaysia's federal system, where power is distributed among three tiers of government. Citizens and stakeholders should direct concerns to the appropriate government level responsible for managing specific infrastructure matters, he added. The clarification comes as Malaysia continues to grapple with various infrastructure challenges across its regions, with solutions often requiring coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local authorities operating within their constitutional mandates.